Calorie information appearing on menus could soon become commonplace across the UK according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) following a successful trial involving 21 catering businesses.
A selection of restaurants, fast food outlets and supermarket cafes were among those involved in the trial which started this summer in 450 outlets before being extended to another 350 in October.
Public Health minister Gillian Merron said: "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."
Consultation
Yesterday the FSA launched a consultation to find out the industry's and the public's views on introducing calorie information on menus. It will close on 11 March 2010 before the FSA decides on the best way to roll the scheme out.
FSA chief executive, Tim Smith, said: "The consultation we are launching 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."
Businesses taking part in the summer's trial, including The Real Greek, Harvester, Burger King and Wimpy were asked to follow a set of 'basic criteria' which asked them to print calorie information on menu boards and paper menus so it was clear to customers.
An independent evaluation of the trial, commissioned by the FSA, concluded that calorie labelling had been introduced 'with relative ease'. However, it found that restaurants who did not know the calorie count of their dishes spent an average of £40 per dish to have them evaluated in a laboratory. There were also costs involved in printing new menu boards and menus.
The evaluation also looked at what the public look for and how they will use calorie labelling to make decisions on food once the initiative has become more widespread.