Brewers furious at plan to put calorie count on beer
Brewers have criticised a plan to make pub chains put calorie counts on pints, saying the idea is ludicrous and unnecessary.
Leaked reports suggest that the Department of Health and Social Care wants to raise public awareness of how drinking can contribute to weight gain to help to tackle the obesity epidemic.
The plan, which would be consulted on this year, would make all large pub chains display the calories in their beer, wine and spirits.
According to the information would have to be on menus or beer pump labels in chains that employ more than 250 staff, such as Wetherspoon.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: ‘‘The proposals are ludicrous and especially outrageous at this difficult time. After more than a year of being forced to close fully or operate under severe loss-making restrictions, now is not the time to heap burdensome and expensive regulation on our pubs.
‘‘Our pubs are on their knees and the government already knows this. Calorie labelling would be kicking pubs and brewers when they are down. We have very serious concerns on the impact these proposals would have on the sector and on consumers.’’
The government’s analysis suggests that the idea would cost the industry £92 million (NZ$180 million) a year but the benefit to consumers has not been quantified. The plan would also require shops selling alcohol to publish a warning on labels about the health dangers of drinking and the risks of drink-driving.
The plan has been drawn up by Jo Churchill, the public health minister, who is said to be concerned that 7-8 per cent of drinkers’ calorie intake comes from alcohol. She believes that lower socioeconomic households and those who are already overweight would benefit the most from the policy.
Matt Kilcoyne, of the Adam Smith Institute, a think tank, condemned the plan as another example of nanny state government.
He said: ‘‘We don’t need government enforced calorie counts to tell us something we already know. Ministers thinking up this madness should drop the policy. Let publicans and punters do what they want in the pubs without Hancock [the health secretary] wagging his finger each time a pint is pulled.’’
McClarkin added: ‘‘The British people have had months without going to their local. It has been tough mentally and socially. Let them enjoy it again and let our businesses rebuild. We must remember that after so much enforced isolation, the pub has an important role to play in tackling loneliness and improving mental health.’’