Mandatory calorie labelling has not ‘significantly’ impacted customer choices

Mandatory calorie labelling has not had a significant impact in encouraging diners to make healthier choices when eating out, a study has found.

The study, published in journal Nature Human Behaviour, found that just 31.8% of people take note of calorie information on menus following the introduction of mandatory labelling, compared to 16.5% before the change.

Of those who took note of the calorific contents of dishes, just 22% said the information influenced their ordering decisions, compared to 19% before the displaying of information became mandatory.

The authors found that older adults took note of the information more than younger adults, but this did not translate to a difference in the influence of the information on decision making.

It was also found that more women took note of the information than men.

Diners were more likely to notice calorie labels when purchasing meals from a pub compared with a café, which authors thought may be due to the difference in purchasing conditions.

Mandatory calorie labelling was introduced in April 2022 for businesses with more than 250 employees.

The legislation has been contentious due to the additional cost for operators and concerns it could have a negative impact on those with eating disorders.

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