McDonald’s menus to include calorie counts in Britain

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDSep 5 2011

In an advancement against rising rates of obesity nearly 1,200 McDonald's restaurants in the U.K. will this week begin displaying the calorie count of each food and drink item on their wall-mounted menu boards.

This comes as part of a government-led program to fight obesity and promote healthier eating, the chain said Sunday. McDonald's already puts calorie information on its Web site and the back of its tray liners, but this is the first time the figures will be displayed prominently in its restaurants outside the U.S. The chain has similar calorie menu boards in New York City, which became the first in the U.S. to put a calorie-posting law in place in 2008.

This British program is voluntary, and relies on partnering companies to fulfil their commitment to the ‘Responsibility Deal’ and its pledge to calorie labelling in restaurants. Aside from calorie labelling, McDonald's has also promised to remove artificial trans fats from its products, although it did not sign up to a salt reduction pledge.

It is hoped by the end of the year 5,000 restaurants in the UK will display calorific details on its menus, after Pizza Hut, KFC, JD Wetherspoon and Pret a Manger also signed up to the pledge.

Additionally, Greggs, Burger King and Starbucks have agreed to introduce the labelling system to their outlets next year. It comes as research found showing nutritional information on menus does influence consumer’s choices and encourages them to choose healthier options.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley commented, “One in six meals are now eaten outside the home and for those meals we often have no idea how many calories we are eating. That is why this is such a great achievement by the Responsibility Deal. It will help people spot those hidden calories in their favorite foods and keep an eye on their waistlines.”

Meanwhile, the President and CEO of McDonald’s UK, Jill McDonald, said of the pledge, “In March we announced our intention to extend the communication of nutritional information to our customers to include displaying calories on our menu boards across the UK. This move, as part of the Public Health Responsibility Deal, supports the principles we believe are important: giving our customers clear information to help them make decisions that are right for them and provide a choice on our menu.”