Why has the Agency decided to work with catering and foodservice companies?
Although for some, eating out will always remain a leisure activity or an occasional treat, for many people, eating outside the home in catering outlets is becoming more popular and is making and increasingly significant contribution to their diet. We know, from our National Diet and Nutrition Survey, that men derive as much as a quarter of their food energy from foods eaten outside the home, and women about a fifth. We also know that foods eaten outside the home are often higher in fat, salt and sugar than those eaten at home. For these reasons, the Agency wants to ensure that its range of activity to promote healthier diets encompasses the catering sector as well as food retailers and manufacturers. We want to make it easier for consumers to make healthier choices when they eat out.
