Menus with calorie count? They don’t help

A recent study published in Nature Human Behaviour found that the introduction of mandatory calorie labeling on menus in England has not led to a significant reduction in the number of calories purchased or consumed in out-of-home food settings. Researchers at the University of Liverpool conducted the study, which examined purchasing, consumption, and noticing and use of kcal labelling in England before and after the policy was implemented.

Despite the requirement for calorie information on menus, guests are consuming just as many calories as before, with no meaningful decrease in calories bought or consumed. The research team found that the average number of calories purchased per meal after the implementation was 1,081 calories, which was the same level as 1,007 calories before the policy, as reported by Mirror.

The study involved surveys conducted before and after the regulation came into force in 330 food outlets, including cafes, fast-food joints, pubs, and full-service restaurants. Over 6,500 participants provided data about their food intake, awareness, and comprehension of menu calorie information, according to The Independent.

Customer awareness of calorie information doubled from 16.5% pre-policy to 31.8% post-policy introduction, with 32% of respondents aware of calorie content after implementation. Despite this increased awareness, the amount of calories purchased and consumed did not decrease, indicating that the policy has not resulted in customers choosing healthier meals.

Only 19% of those who noticed kcal labeling reported using it to make their purchasing decision before the policy, and this increased slightly to 22% after the policy implementation. Lead researcher Dr. Megan Polden stated: "The introduction of mandatory calorie labelling alone was not associated with significant dietary changes in out-of-home food settings.".

Professor Eric Robinson added: "However, we know that many businesses have not been providing calorie labelling as recommended and some businesses have not provided any calorie labelling at all, which of course may explain our results," according to 'The Independent'. Not all establishments followed the calorie labeling rule, with only 80% of sampled out-of-home food settings providing kcal labelling post-regulations, as noted by 'welt.de'.

Gender influenced reported kcal noticing and use, with females reporting noticing and using kcal labels more than males. Socioeconomic position also influenced reported noticing and use, with people from a higher socioeconomic position reporting noticing and using labels more than those from a lower socioeconomic position. Despite these differences, there was no evidence that the change in calories purchased or consumed differed based on any demographics, including socioeconomic position.

Researchers say that menu labeling may take more time to make a difference. Since the analysis was conducted only a few months after the labels were added, it may take more time for menu labeling to impact consumer behavior. The UK government is preparing to review the menu labeling rules by 2027.

The study has several limitations, including reliance on self-reporting, which may introduce bias, and the inability to fully adjust for confounders or compare data with background trends, 'Nature' reported. Enforcement of the policy is currently being conducted at a local authority level, and greater and stricter enforcement may be required to improve compliance'. Only 15% of outlets met all kcal labelling compliance criteria post-regulations, and a lack of compliance may have contributed to the lack of change in energy purchased and consumed.

People tended to underestimate how many calories were in their meals, regardless of whether there were labels on the menu. Sarah Berry, a professor of nutritional sciences at King's College London who did not participate in the study, said the results underline "the need for stronger interventions to address the broader factors contributing to our unhealthy food environment."

ORF Science, The Independent, Mirror, and Euronews reported on the study.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq