>but the only policing is over items such as peanuts, when it is known
>that a child or teacher has a severe allergy.

That's another symptom, and that one happens over here in the US
as well.

They send notes home saying not to send peanut butter sandwiches
with the kid's lunches or peanut butter cookies because some other
kid in the class is allergic.

GEEZ!

How about having the allergic kid not EAT anybody ELSE'S PB&J?

Whose problem is it, anyway?