The Camel Gets Its Nose In The Tent…

A total of 17 restaurant chains and catering companies have pledged to give consumers more information about what they are eating.

Because if they are given ‘more information’, they’ll stop eating ‘unhealthily’, I suppose…?

Hmm, I don’t think so somehow (and see ‘They’re Joking, Aren’t They?’ for some examples of the claims made regarding junk food and ‘poverty’….).

They have signed up to strict criteria set out by the Foods Standards Agency (FSA), working with the Department of Health.

They must:

• Show the number of calories in each portion in writing that is clear and at least as prominent as the name or price of the product


• Display calorie information for most food and drink they serve


• Print calorie information on menu boards, paper menus or on the edge of shelves

Newsflash – anyone not already fully aware that there are lots of calories, fat, salt and sugar in junk foods must be an idiot. Or the product of NuLab’s ‘world class’ education system, which pretty much amounts to the same thing…

Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said: "People want to easily see how many calories are in the food and drink they order when they eat out.

"This ground-breaking group of companies will help people to know what's in the food they are eating.

"I want to see more companies and more outlets to help even more people live healthier lives."

Cheers, ‘Red Dawn’, but this isn’t exactly a ground-breaking announcement, is it?

Prediction: this will be seized upon by the ‘worried well’ as a reason to watch what they eat like hawks (which, to be honest, they would do regardless) while the underclass will carry on stuffing themselves with Maccy D’s because they don’t care about, or can’t read, the calorie information.

All that will have been achieved is yet more government interference in private businesses. It’s almost as if that was the point all along. Isn’t it?