WIREDGOV

Five high street restaurant chains – Burger King, KFC, McDonald’s, the Subway chain and Wimpy – have today set out how they intend to take further steps to provide their customers with healthier choices.

These steps build on commitments made a year ago and demonstrate how these companies are continuing to support the Agency’s efforts to make eating out of the home healthier. Together, the companies operate more than 4,000 restaurants across the UK.

The progress highlighted in the updated commitments support the Agency’s priorities to reduce salt, saturated fat and energy intakes, and to provide more healthier choices and information for consumers:

• Calorie labelling: Four companies took part in the Agency’s initiative to introduce calorie labelling at point of choice or ran their own trial. Wimpy made a long-term commitment and rolled out calorie labelling nationwide.
• Salt reduction: All companies report salt reductions across core menu items. For example, the Subway chain achieved an average 33% reduction in salt levels across its range of core products; Wimpy extended its salt reduction programme to all 50 of its core ingredients; and KFC launched lower salt versions of its Crispy Strips and Boneless Bites, with 15% salt reductions, and tortillas meeting FSA salt targets.
• Sat fat reduction: McDonald’s introduced a range of smaller premium menu items, and Burger King reduced the saturated fat content of its oil by 11%. Saturated fat reduction also features as a key area for investigation and action by the companies in 2010.

Clair Baynton, Head of Nutrition at the FSA, said: 'The fact that these well-known companies are updating their commitments is good news for those of us who eat out and good news for public health. We welcome the efforts made by these companies to help all of us enjoy healthier diets.'

The Agency is currently working with 44 companies, each of which has produced a commitment document that is available via the link below. The documents set out actions the companies have carried out, or are planning, towards healthier catering. The actions cover procurement, menu planning, kitchen practice and consumer information. The commitment work covers the breadth of the catering sector and includes workplace caterers, foodservice suppliers, pubs, coffee and sandwich shop, and restaurants chains.

The full commitments from all companies can be found at the link below.