Inside Track by Peter Martin
Six of the biggest names in high street eating-out - Burger King, KFC, McDonald’s, Nando’s, Subway and Wimpy - have this week made a public commitment to improve healthy eating options in their businesses.
The chains have been working on the initiative with the Food Standards Agency, which has given its endorsement.
They have all have set out specific projects that they will be delivering during 2009, aimed at helping their customers enjoy “a healthier, more balanced diet”. They include:
* Working with suppliers to reduce salt and saturated fat levels in best selling products;
* Swapping sauces, dressings and frying oils for alternatives lower in saturated fat;
* Increasing the number of healthier options on menus;
* Making nutritional information more readily available to customers.
Each has agreed to provide a six months update to the FSA on the progress of their work.
The FSA has been working hard behind the scenes to sign-up leading eating-out chains to its healthy eating agenda, much as it has already done with the retail sector. The fast food chains have been the first to sign-up, but the agency confirmed that it is also working with the leading pub, family restaurant and coffee shop chains on similar commitments.
Rosemary Hignett, head of nutrition at the agency said: “Eating out should be fun and we don’t want to change that, but we believe restaurants can help make it easier for us to take healthier choices when dining out.”
The commitment from the big six QSR chains is significant in that it demonstrates that health remains a major priority both politically and with the public, even with a recession looming.
The FSA reflects Government policy, but its objective is to gain voluntary support from the food and drink industry, including restaurants and pubs. The chains already signed-up also understand that consensual action now is better than legislation later - particularly on publishing nutritional information and reducing fat and salt levels. No one wants US style regulation.
It also makes commercial sense, as the health remains a significant issue with the public. There is no evidence to suggest that healthy eating is going to go out of the window just because cash is tighter. In fact, there is a theory that being more health and environmentally aware will chime well with the new Austerity Britain.
To emphasise the importance the FSA places on the issue, Rosemary Hignett, added: “These companies’ commitments, together with the positive work that many have been doing for a number of years, show just how much is possible. We hope that other restaurant chains will be able to emulate this exciting work”.
The message is clear: health is an issue that is here to stay.
