Restaurants in the Firing Line as Government Targets Obesity with Calorie Reporting Scheme

The UK government has unveiled a bold and controversial proposal as part of its ten-year health strategy to combat rising obesity rates. Under the new measures, restaurants employing over 250 people could be required to report the average number of calories consumed by their customers directly to the Department of Health and Social Care. The policy aims to make large food businesses more accountable for public health outcomes by encouraging them to promote healthier food choices.

The initiative, spearheaded by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, intends to apply the same standards to restaurants as those proposed for supermarkets. It forms part of a wider drive to “increase the healthiness of sales” and reduce the £11 billion annual burden that obesity places on the NHS—triple the current ambulance service budget.

“Obesity has doubled since the 1990s,” Streeting stated. “Unless we curb the rising tide of cost and demand, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable. The good news is that it only takes a small change to make a big difference. If everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by around 200 calories a day — the equivalent of a bottle of fizzy drink — obesity would be halved.”

What the Policy Involves

Restaurants and fast-food chains above the 250-employee threshold—already required to display calorie counts on menus—may now have to go a step further by submitting data to the government on the average calorie content of meals consumed. These reports could then be used to set targets for reducing calories, fats, sugars, and salts in food offerings.

While the Department of Health maintains that the plans are still subject to consultation and precise rules have not been finalised, the direction of travel is clear. Similar measures for supermarkets include mandatory reductions of 100 calories from the average shopping basket, favouring fruit and vegetables over salty and sugary snacks. Businesses could be finedfor failing to meet these targets.

The department suggests that firms will retain flexibility in how they meet the targets—whether through recipe reformulation, promotional discounts on healthier foods, altering shop layouts, or changes to loyalty schemes.

Hospitality Industry Feels Blindsided

The response from the hospitality industry has been swift and pointed. UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls has led the outcry, accusing the government of failing to consult with the sector and underestimating the consequences.

“The industry has been totally blindsided by these proposals,” said Nicholls. “This is really wide-ranging in scope. We really need the Government to start talking to the hospitality sector, not excluding it from these discussions, to make sure that we get the details right.”

Nicholls warned that the bureaucratic burden of compliance could increase costs across an industry already grappling with inflation, rising wages, and elevated food and energy prices. With more than 1,400 restaurant insolvencies recorded in the year to September 2024—an all-time high—the fear is that these measures could drive more businesses to the brink.

“Mandatory reporting and set targets with unclear outcomes will only add to the financial burden for such businesses,” she cautioned. “In the midst of soaring cost-price inflation, they are already battling to keep prices low and quality high for hard-working families wanting to enjoy the occasional treat and meal out.”

She continued:

“The starting point for any effective plan to tackle obesity in the UK must be in schools, by teaching pupils how to cook and by putting food and nutrition back into the curriculum so children can make educated, healthy choices throughout their lives. It cannot be about imposing random, mandatory targets for businesses that will not deliver genuine change — but which will add further red tape and costs.”

Nicholls emphasised that hospitality venues—especially community pubs, neighbourhood restaurants, cafes, and school caterers—serve an important social role and should not be penalised or over-regulated without evidence of tangible public health benefits.

A Policy Still Under Construction

Though the proposal is not yet finalised, the government has indicated it will go out to consultation following the full release of the 10-Year Health Plan. While much of the attention has been on supermarkets and manufacturers, the policy document acknowledges that meals consumed outside the home account for 20–25% of adults’ daily calorie intake—hence the inclusion of hospitality.

Interestingly, early research into existing calorie labelling legislation has shown only modest impact: customers consumed on average just 11 fewer calories per meal after the introduction of calorie counts on menus. Whether these new reporting requirements will be significantly more effective remains to be seen.

Further rumblings within the hospitality sector suggest deep concern that the government is overreaching. There are fears that once a precedent is set with large chains, similar requirements could be extended to smaller businesses in the future—including mandatory calorie labelling for alcoholic beverages and smaller independent outlets.

The Tension Between Public Health and Business Survival

The government’s ambition to create “the healthiest generation of children ever” is noble, and few dispute the urgency of addressing obesity. But the question remains: at what cost, and through what means?

The hospitality sector does not reject the goal of improving public health, but the proposed path—marked by compulsory reporting, opaque targets, and bureaucratic complexity—risks alienating the very businesses it needs on side. The backlash signals a deeper disconnect between policymakers and practitioners on the ground.

In Nicholls’s words:

“It is imperative that the Government engages now with the hospitality sector to avoid generating unforeseen consequences for vital businesses.”

As consultations begin and the 10-Year Health Plan rolls out, the challenge will be balancing ambitious health outcomes with economic realities. For now, the government may have whetted its appetite for reform—but it faces a full course of industry resistance before these measures ever reach the table.