Diners will see the calorie content of dishes on menus from Wednesday as part of a Government drive to tackle obesity and improve the nation’s health. Businesses with 250 or more employees in England, including cafes, restaurants and takeaways, will be required to display the calorie information of non-prepacked food and soft drinks prepared for customers.
Calories 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 war on obesity, have been introduced to help consumers make more informed, healthier choices when eating out or ordering takeaways.
It is estimated that overweight and obesity-related conditions cost the NHS £6.1 billion each year. Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or obese – and one in three children leaves primary school at an unhealthy weight.
