Calorie counts will have to be provided on all takeaway, restaurant and cafe menus in the future, according to new government plans.
The Telegraph revealed that the proposals have caused some arguments among cabinet members, with not all of them believing this is the best way to tackle the UK’s obesity crisis.
It is the Treasury that has been most critical of the proposals, the newspaper noted, explaining that it is concerned about the cost implications for small businesses while pointing out that large chains, such as McDonald’s and Pizza Express, have already voluntarily added calorie counts to their menus.
However, the news provider has seen a draft consultation which sets out the proposals for calorie counts on the menus of all outlets, in a bid to ensure there is consistency for consumers.
“The aim of the policy is to ensure that consumers have access to clear and accurate information about the calorie content of the food and drink that they and their families are purchasing and consuming,” the document states.
According to the draft consultation, the hope is that it will encourage more people to make healthy choices and help them regulate their calorie intake – and that of their children.
However, chief secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss has expressed concerns over the costs this will put on small businesses, and has called on the government to minimise these as well as to show “flexibility in implementing the measures”.
In a letter shown to the Telegraph, Ms Truss added that the Treasury could block the policy if these concerns are not properly addressed.
But given how many takeaways we consume in the UK, it looks like these kinds of measures could be important if the Department of Health is to tackle the country’s obesity crisis.
A survey carried out in August by the Sun on Sunday found that £9.8 billion is spent on takeaways in the UK each year.
On average, we eat nearly 4,000 takeaways in our lifetime, which is eight times more than many of our European counterparts, the newspaper added.
Its research found that the average Brit eats five takeaways a month, with pizzas, kebabs and curries named among the favourite options.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s London where the highest amount is spent on takeaways – £1.4 billion each year. It could be worth swapping something like a pizza or kebab for a healthier option like a Thai takeaway in London every now and again if you really can’t kick your fast-food habit.
There’s plenty of choice in the UK’s capital, with the Sun also revealing that there are an average of four fast-food outlets per 1,000 residents in the city.
Of course, if the government’s proposals go through, it could encourage people to make healthier takeaway choices, or potentially cut down on the number of meals they order in each month.
The Department of Health is particularly keen to tackle childhood obesity, which is why other policies, such as a ban on the sale of energy drinks to children, have also been recently announced by the government.
