WIREDGOV

The Agency has been working in partnership with more than 45 major UK caterers to provide healthier choices for their customers when eating out.

The companies involved cover the breadth of the catering industry and include many well known restaurants, pubs, coffee shops and sandwich chains. In addition the Agency is working with workplace caterers and catering suppliers.

The Agency has today published updated commitments documents, highlighting the progress made by companies to reduce salt and saturated fat, as well as to promote healthier options and to provide consumers with more information.

Companies are offering more choice, for example by increasing ranges of healthier snacks, developing new menus, and offering food promotions such as 'Buy 5 salads and get the 6th one free'. Some of the other successful initiatives include providing smaller portions of cakes and mini desserts.

This update shows salt levels have been reduced by all companies in a variety of ways, for example by changing ingredients and buying products that meet the FSA targets, as well as developing recipes with less or no added salt.

Additionly, companies are working to reduce saturated fat, for example by using skimmed or 1% fat milk, buying ingredients lower in saturated fat, such as rapeseed oil or encouraging oven baking and other reduced fat cooking methods.

As part of this work, companies have also been providing more information for their customers, such as nutritional information and advice through websites and leaflets. Head of Nutrition at the Agency, Clair Baynton said: 'We very much welcome all the efforts being made by the catering sector to ensure their customers have greater choice and the information they need to choose healthier options. These commitments are an important step in helping the seven million customers these companies serve every day make sensible choices about their diet.'

A large number of workplace caterers are featured in this update: Accent, autograph, CH&Co, Elior, ISS Facility Services Healthcare, Harbour and Jones, Artizian, Compass, ISS Facility Services Food & Hospitality, Vacherin, Sodexo, ARAMARK and the suppliers Brakes and 3663.

Other high street chains featured include Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Caffè Nero, Costa, Greggs, Upper Crust, Camden Food Co, Starbucks, Pret A Manger, EAT, Sainsbury’s, The Restaurant Group and the John Lewis Partnership.

The Agency is pleased to welcome new commitments from the Southover Food Company, The Co-operative Food, Mount Charles, Pelican Buying Company and Olive Catering.

You can find out more about the companies involved and the progress they have made and the targets for the forthcoming year via the link below.