Harvester becomes the first pub brand to display calorie counts

7th March 2011, 3:10pm

Pubco Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has announced that as of today the pub group will display calorie counts alongside every dish on Harvester menus.

Speaking at the Food Strategy Forum, Adam Martin, marketing and strategy director at Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), told delegates that the move follows a trial in the Midlands with calorie labelling on menus in 16 pub restaurants in 2009, which saw a small decrease in average calories consumed per meal.

"Addressing the nation's obesity crisis is a major societal issue," said Martin, and added that for M&B calorie labelling represents "the right thing to do". Customers are looking to make better informed decisions about what they eat, and that item labelling, together with the high level of menu option flexibility that exists, further strengthens choice for customers.

Martin added that Mitchells & Butlers plans to eventually roll out calorie information on all menus across the group. Other brands within the Mitchells & Butlers stable include Toby Carvery, Sizzling Pub Co and Vintage Inns.

Amongst the other speakers at the debate, Steve Gotham, Allegra Strategies Project Director, highlighted how healthier eating in the UK foodservice was now akin to a one-way motorway, with all operators and suppliers proceeding in the same direction, but at different speeds. He added that the pace of progress was dependent on customer profile, competitor imperatives and strategic objectives, as well as potential legislative intervention.

Prof. Judith Buttriss, director general at the British Nutrition Foundation commended M&B. While calorie labelling momentum was building and would help raise awareness of dietary intake in general, she also reiterated the point that calories are not everything and warned that much more needed to be done to drive significant change in consumers' health. She said while the foodservice industry should provide nutritional information, it should also invest more in recipe development and reformulation, and work harder to achieve nutritional targets.

Related Articles:

• 22 Nov 2011 - Pubco Mitchells & Butlers returns to profit despite boardroom chaos
• 27 Sep 2011 - Mitchells & Butlers sales are up as it stands firm on rejected takeover bid
• 12 Sep 2011 - Harvester says customers are eating 25 fewer calories since nutrition labelling
• 06 Apr 2009 - Catering companies to display calories on menus
• 16 Jan 2009 - Nutritional labelling scheme will cost too much

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