UKHospitality warns against mandatory calorie labelling
The statement follows after the government announced that they will hold a consultation on requiring calorie labelling from businesses.
Trade body UKHospitality released a statement that they are against the government’s considerations to impose a law requiring businesses to put in calorie labelling on menus.
Their chief executive, Kate Nicholls, stressed that it will hit the hospitality sector, most especially the smaller businesses.
“The knock-on effect would almost certainly mean prices go up and investment in businesses goes down. There is also a serious potential that mandatory calorie labelling would undermine businesses’ efforts to tackle food waste which is a growing concern for consumers and an area of innovation for businesses,” she said.
Furthermore, she argued that the additional costs it brings be harder on the industry as they are still struggling with the tightening margins and economic instability. It will also be a cause for some regularly change their menus.
“We are supportive of efforts to promote healthier eating habits and sector is already taking decisive, proactive action to reformulate menus to reduce calories and increase transparency and choice for customers. Many larger venues already include calorie content on their menus voluntarily, with many high street brands providing customers with unprecedented level of information. But even larger businesses, operating numerous distinct brands, rely on the flexibility provided by voluntary labelling,” Nicholls added.
