Pub, restaurant and cafes operators are being asked to sign a new pledge to reduce the level of saturated fat in their dishes under the Responsibility Deal, M&C Report has learnt.
In addition, M&C Report understands that a further pledge is being developed around how companies operate food promotions, which pub, restaurant and cafe operators could be asked to support. That pledge is expected to be announced at the end of the year or early 2014.
Letters are being sent to operators this month inviting them to sign up to a new pledges around saturated fat.
Recommendations include switching to lower saturated fat oils for cooking, developing new lower-fat menu options, and re-balancing menus to promote options that contain less saturated fat.
The letter, from Dr Susan Jebb, chair of the Responsibility Deal Food Network, says: “Reducing the population’s saturated fat intake will improve people’s health and also benefit the NHS and the economy.
“The saturated fat reduction pledge presents a major opportunity for the food and drink industry to showcase its work in this area, to drive innovation and to support the reduction of population intakes.
“Department of Health officials would be delighted to hear from businesses wishing to be at the leading edge of this initiative by making an early commitment to action. Becoming an early signatory also offers the opportunity for your business to be included in the media activity we hope to generate.”
Operators have recently updated the Department of Health on their progress under the Responsibility Deal over areas such as calorie reduction, salt reduction and access to alcohol unit information.
