Deliveroo introduces calorie labels
While the food delivery company confirmed no pub or bar brands were in the initial group of businesses signed up, it will be writing to all businesses urging them to make use of these measures.
It will add meal-by-meal information for national food brands including Burger King, KFC, Pho, Jamie's Italian, YO! Sushi and Barburrito next month, with plans to expand the scheme globally.
The takeaway company also urged the Government to provide an exemption for small businesses and provide an implementation period for companies when it introduces labelling legislation.
The announcement follows the Government’s proposal to bring in compulsory labelling – an intention that has been met with words of warning from pub trade bodies.
Organisations including the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and UKHospitality cited concerns the legislation would mean an extra cost burden and limited menu choices for pub businesses.
The BBPA said the introduction of mandatory labelling would signal “another nail in the coffin” for pub businesses already struggling with other duties and taxes.
Deliveroo said its polling showed the public wanted to know more about the nutritional content of their takeaways. Some 54% of people said they would like to see more information on the calorie content of the food they order, while 37% did not.
Information provision
Deliveroo founder and chief executive Will Shu said he believed the way to encourage healthy eating was providing customers with more information and more selection.
“Consumers should have amazing food whenever and wherever they want it, but Deliveroo wants to also enable customers to be aware of what they’re eating.
“We want to make it simpler, easier and quicker to find healthy meals with new information and new options on our platform,” he said.
Deliveroo introduced several partnerships allowing customers to order takeaways to pubs without kitchens, in 2017. The company was founded in 2013 and allows customers to order takeaways from high-street restaurants via its app or website.
