Regulations will be laid in parliament tomorrow that
will require large businesses with 250 or more
employees in England, including cafes, restaurants and
takeaways, to display the calorie information of
non-prepacked food and soft drink items that are
prepared for customers.
Calorie information will need to be displayed at the
point of choice for the customer, such as physical
menus, online menus, food delivery platforms and food
labels.
The measures, which form part of the government’s wider
strategy to tackle obesity, will help to ensure people
are able to make more informed, healthier choices when
it comes to eating food out or ordering takeaways.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the impact that
obesity can have on people’s health and health
outcomes.
It is estimated that overweight and obesity related
conditions across the UK cost the NHS £6.1 billion each
year. Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are
overweight or living with obesity – and 1 in 3 children
leave primary school overweight or obese.
Public Health Minister, ,
said:
Our aim is to make it as easy as possible for people
to make healthier food choices for themselves and
their families, both in restaurants and at home. That
is why we want to make sure everyone has access to
accurate information about the food and drink we
order.
These measures form an important building block in
our strategy to support and encourage people in
achieving and maintaining a healthier weight.
By only requiring large businesses to label calories on
menus, it will not impact small, independent businesses
and will ensure those who might find the requirement
more difficult are not impacted. The government will
work with the food and drink sector and local
authorities to ensure the regulations are implemented
smoothly.
In July 2020, the government published its consultation
response on introducing mandatory calorie labelling in
the out-of-home sector. The response supported out of
home calorie labelling and the government confirmed it
will legislate this as part of its strategy to empower
people to lead healthier lives, with these regulations
now being laid.
In a Public Health England survey on calorie reduction,
79% of respondents said they think that menus should
include the number of calories in food and drinks.
The recently announced Office for Health Promotion will
lead national efforts to improve and level up the
health of the nation by tackling obesity, improving
mental health and promoting physical activity.
Notes to editors
- Within the Regulations, the government has a
provision which permits businesses to provide a menu
without calorie information at the express request of
the customer. As a result, people who may find viewing
calorie information more difficult may be able to avoid
this information in certain situations when eating out.
