UK public says pubs and restaurants should try harder to tackle obesity

Most people think pubs and restaurants could do more to tackle obesity - but they don't like being told what to do when it comes to eating out, new research has found.

 

The latest Peach BrandTrack survey on attitudes to health and the eating-out market has found that 58% of people want better nutritional information on all menus.

 

It reported that the public thought pubs and restaurants should do more to tackle obesity and promote healthy eating, primarily through fat reduction, followed by "offering more choice". Only 11% put salt reduction as the top priority.

 

Some 2,000 adults contributed to the research, which was carried out in July.

 

They said that, despite being concerned about children's diets, they didn't welcome being told what to do, with 46% agreeing that "It is no business of Government to tell people what they should or shouldn't eat".

 

However, two-thirds wanted nutritional information to be compulsory on all children's menus and for all children's dishes, with 48% backing a ban on fast-food and take-away food shops being sited near schools.

 

When asked about their own healthy eating habits, just under a quarter (23%) of the public said they never chose healthy options when eating out.

 

Bad weather affects sales at pub and restaurant groups >>

 

Pub and restaurant groups see tough trading in February as sales drop 3.7% >>

 

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By James Stagg

 

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