Cost of counting calories?
Should Government pay restaurants for the...
Calorie counts are set to be displayed on menus of all restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets as part of a plan to tackle soaring obesity.
Within days the Department of Health is expected to unveil the new proposals to help people make healthier eating choices.
But the Treasury has warned the changes are likely to be “burdensome” for 26,0000 small businesses and cost £13million.
It is feared the plans would lead to higher food prices and restaurants laying off staff .
While many larger chains, including McDonald’s, Pizza Express and Jamie’s Italian, have voluntarily adopted calorie counts, most smaller restaurants and cafes do not give those details.
Now Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is calling for the Government to show “flexibility in implementing the measures”. She said the move would have a significant impact on small businesses.
She predicted they would not only have to precisely calculate the calorie content of each dish and print new menus but also change them every time a recipe is altered – adding to costs.
So should the Government be flexible to take in the cost and impact to small businesses?
Here, Mike Cherry, from the Federation of Small Businesses, says yes, while Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, argues rules must be mandatory to all food outlets so people can regulate their intake.