Eating out in UK is 'absolute nightmare' for diabetics

Speaking at Bidvest Foodservice’s Plate 2 Planet conference yesterday (8 November), campaigner Dan Parker told The Morning Advertiser ​a considerable commercial opportunity was being missed out on by the nation’s pubs.

Parker, who himself was diagnosed with the condition, said: “There are 4m type-2 diabetics in and around the UK. There are another 5m that have pre-diabetes – that’s 9m people that need to be concerned about what sugar they eat."

Have to go for salad​

He added: “Eating out is an absolute nightmare because nobody gives you indication what you can eat. You basically just have to go for salad. So you just don’t eat out – I used to a lot but I just don’t any longer.

“Nowhere does it enough. I have never seen it anywhere I’ve been in my life.”

It was "nuts" that there were three times as many diabetics than vegetarians living in the UK yet diabetics did not get the same level of consideration on menus, he added.

Chance to make money​

“Put some decent low-sugar options on your menu. Flag them up as low-sugar options and what you’ll see is you’ve got millions of customers who might come to your business and appreciate what you’re doing,” he added.

“Also you will see people, who are just concerned about their weight and their sugar intake, will start choosing those options as well.

“It’s just a chance to make money – there is a commercial opportunity if [pubs] are smart about it.”