Calories on Menus One Step Closer in UK

As part of its work to help people make healthier choices when eating out, the Food Standards Agency is seeking views on how a voluntary calorie labelling scheme will work best in practice.

4 Dec 2009 --- Menus with calorie information are one step closer to becoming a reality in the UK, following successful and productive work this summer with twenty-one catering companies.

As part of its work to help people make healthier choices when eating out, the Food Standards Agency is seeking views on how a voluntary calorie labelling scheme will work best in practice.

Catering businesses, including many major high street names, have been displaying the calorie content of dishes on menus in a select number of their outlets to help people make healthier choices.

A calorie labelling scheme would let people see the number of calories in the food and drink they order when they are eating out – whether they are in restaurants, coffee and sandwich shops, pubs, leisure attractions or staff restaurants.

The consultation is seeking views from the public as well as the catering industry on how calorie information should appear and will close on 11 March 2010. It sets out the key principles of a scheme, which are based on work that the Agency undertook over the summer with 21 companies that had introduced calorie labelling in some or all of their outlets.

An independent evaluation, also published by the Food Standards Agency, shows that this first group of businesses were able to introduce calorie labelling with relative ease. It also tells us what customers want from a scheme that would help them make healthier choices more easily.

The evaluation showed that three factors – visibility, understanding and consumer engagement – were found to have an impact on consumers’ capacity and inclination to use calorie labelling. People could envisage using calorie labelling to help them make healthier choices, while still enjoying their favourite foods when eating out.

The evaluation also highlighted that more people will know to look for and use calorie labelling once it has become more widespread.

Minister for Public Health, Gillian Merron, said: 'People regularly tell me that they want to be able to see how many calories are in the food and drink they order when they eat out.

'Thanks to the Government’s close work with industry, having calories on menus is one step closer to becoming a widespread reality.

'The first group of businesses to try it out have seen positive results and some have now agreed to carry on putting calorie information on their menus – great news for customers.

'I want to see more catering companies follow suit to help their customers make healthier choices.'

Food Standards Agency Chief Executive, Tim Smith, said: 'The consultation we are launching today asks for views from both industry and consumers on how calorie labelling will best work in practice. It will also set out guidelines for businesses wanting to join this important initiative.

'Our work with the catering sector is ground-breaking. Whether people are grabbing a snack on the go, eating in a staff restaurant or out for a meal with their family – the introduction of calorie labelling will enable them to see what choices are healthier and help them improve their diets.'

The consultation closes on 11 March 2010. The Agency will collate responses and publish details of a final scheme in spring 2010.