Calorie Labels On Menus Aren’t Changing Eating Habits, Says Study

In 2022, calorie labels became mandatory for restaurants and cafes in the UK – a bid to make the nation healthier. However, a new study has found the new rules have had little impact.

New Research Suggests Calorie Labels Don’t Work

Researchers at the University of Liverpool explored whether the calorie counting law had increased customer awareness of calorie consumption. They asked more than 6,000 people what they ordered when eating out, both before and after the policy came into place, in over 300 restaurants across England. 

The results, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, show there has been no reduction in calorific intake after the law was introduced. While a third of those surveyed said they notice the labelling, only 22 percent of people used the new calorie information to decide what to order.

It was hoped the new policy would mimic success in the US. Some studies show calorie labelling on menus has helped reduce the average numbers of calories consumed per meal in America – although changes have not been dramatic. 

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‘The introduction of mandatory calorie labelling alone was not associated with significant dietary changes in out-of-home food settings,’ said Dr Megan Polden, who led the research. ‘People did appear to be more knowledgeable about the number of calories in their meal,’ she added. ‘But that didn’t unfortunately lead to any change in the number of calories that people were actually consuming.’

However, she concluded that it’s too soon to deem menu information completely unhelpful. A previous study, also led by Polden’s team, found that not all restaurants were following the rules correctly, so diners may not have noticed them. The results showed only two thirds of outlets were ensuring the figures were clear and legible, with calories often printed in a smaller print than other text on the menu.

Polden also pointed out the nuances involved in this kind of research. ‘Sometimes people can think, “Oh, the burger is going to be the same calories as the salad, I’ll take the burger”, and things like that. There is more research that needs to be done towards understanding people’s choices.’

She also suggested diners may respond better to other menu labelling options, such as the ‘traffic light scheme’ used on food packaging. 

Professor Tom Sanders, a professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London who was not involved in the research, said the findings were disappointing, but not a reason to abolish the labelling. ‘The takeaway finding from this study is that on its own mandatory calorie labelling is an ineffective public health measure to prevent obesity,’ he concluded. ‘However, calorie labelling is useful for individuals who are motivated.’