PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Food: Labelling (20 July 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) when and (b) how many experts were consulted by his Department on its policy to make calorie labelling mandatory for all restaurants, pubs and cafes with 250 or more employees.

Asked by:
Marsha De Cordova (Labour)

We have consulted extensively throughout the development of our policy to mandate calorie labelling for the out-of-home sector. Our 2018 consultation received 1,158 responses including feedback from a wide range of experts. However, a record of the specific number of experts who have contributed to this process is not held centrally.

The Department has published an impact assessment detailing the likely effect of the policy. This includes analysis on the estimated benefits that would be generated from a reduction in calorie intake as well as the evidence used to support our assessment. The Department has also published an equality assessment, which together with the impact assessment, considers evidence of the potential impact of the policy on mental health.

We are committed to reviewing the Regulations within five years of them coming into force. In part, the review will consider whether the policy has achieved its aims in helping consumers make more informed, healthier choices when eating out or getting a takeaway and whether it has encouraged businesses to reformulate their food offers. Officials are developing plans for evaluating the effectiveness and implementation of the policy.

The impact assessment and equality assessment are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/calorie-labelling-for-food-and-drink-served-outside-of-the-home

Answered by:
Jo Churchill (Conservative)
27 July 2021