IRISH FAST-FOOD operators say they have no plans to follow the lead of their counterparts in the UK by introducing calorie information on their menus.
Last month, 18 major British catering companies bowed to pressure from campaigners on obesity by agreeing to display calorie information for the first time.
However, the recently formed Quick Food Service Alliance, which represents 170 businesses in the sector, said its members had differing views on the issue and that it had no plans to follow the British example.
The alliance, which announced earlier this year that it would be taking a legal challenge against the requirement to pay staff double time on Sundays, said individual members were free to take whatever position they chose.
The group includes multiples such as Supermac’s, McDonald’s, Subway and Burger King as members.
In the UK, more than 450 high street food outlets now display calorie information for most food and drink they serve.
The information, which is printed on menu boards, paper menus or on the edge of shelves, provides greater clarity for people when choosing their food, according to British health officials.
But food operators are not required to give information on the salt, sugar and fat content of their products.
Those participating in the pilot scheme include workplace caterers, sit down and quick-service restaurants, theme parks and leisure attractions, pub restaurants, cafes and sandwich chains.
A similar scheme introduced in New York last year has been credited with an average reduction of 50-100 calories for each order placed.
Burger King said it planned to introduce the scheme in five of its restaurants in Britain and Ireland.
“As yet, the participating restaurants have not been selected; however, they will be chosen to reflect a good geographical spread,” according to a spokeswoman.
Some 61 per cent of the Irish population is overweight or obese and the numbers rise every year.
Research also shows that 26 per cent of seven-year-old girls and 18 per cent of seven-year-old boys are overweight or obese.
Obesity is blamed for an estimated 2,000 premature deaths in Ireland each year, while the indirect cost is estimated at €400 million.
McDonald’s, which is not participating in the UK scheme, said it did not plan to display nutrition information at point-of-sale in its Irish stores.
But a spokesman said that information on the calorie, fat, salt, sugar and fat content of food items was carried on packaging.
Food manufacturers generally are required to provide information on the calorie content and the amounts of salt, sugar and fat in the products they sell.
