Calorie labelling to be mandatory for large hospitality businesses from April 2022
The government has confirmed it will bring in mandatory calorie labelling for tens of thousands of English restaurants, pubs and cafes from April 2022.
The Department of Health announced today that legislation will be brought forward to force all “out-of-home food businesses” with more than 250 staff to display calorie information for all non-prepacked food and soft drink items.
All calorie information will need to be displayed on menus or at the “point of choice” for the customer.
The new law is set to face backlash from business groups across the country, with the UK’s pubs lobby saying the move would “reduce the food offer available to customers”.
Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said the implementation of the calorie labelling law, first announced last year along with a suite of other anti-obesity measures, would “make it as easy as possible for people to make healthier food choices “.
“That is why we want to make sure everyone has access to accurate information about the food and drink we order,” she said.
“These measures form an important building block in our strategy to support and encourage people in achieving and maintaining a healthier weight.”
Other measures to be rolled out as a part of Boris Johnson’s anti-obesity drive is a ban on junk food adverts before 9pm and a ban on supermarket two-for-one deals.
The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) said the compulsory calorie labels will cost British companies up to £2.2bn over the next 25 years.
A spokesperson for the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said the calorie labelling law would provide extra costs for its members just after the Covid crisis badly damaged the industry.
“It will be prohibitively expensive for pubs to implement, especially when they have [been] without trade due to the lockdown,” they said.
“As our sector recovers now is not the time for burdensome red tape and we would urge the government to look at more collaborative ways to work with our sector instead, including promoting the growing range of low and no alcohol beers.
“We are keen to support the Government on tackling obesity and want to work with them to help them achieve the strategy’s aims in a practical manner.”