RSPH backs Which?’s calls for clearer calorie information to be available to consumers and urge manufacturers to step up and play their part in halting the UK’s upward curve of obesity.
Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive of RSPH, said: “The UK is facing an obesity epidemic and Which?’s concerns that the public may be making choices they assume to be healthy, but are actually significantly contributing to their waistlines, echo our recent campaigns. Introducing traffic-light style nutrition labelling on packaging is a simple, well recognised way to provide the public with the information they need to make quick, informed decisions about the nutritional content of the food they eat.
However we believe nutrition labelling should extend beyond food products. Last year we found an alarming proportion of the public were unaware of the calories they were consuming in alcoholic products. More encouragingly, our research unearthed clear support in favour of introducing calorie labelling for these products and we call on manufacturers to take heed.”
RSPH research in October 2015 found:
- Over two-thirds (67%) of the public actively support the addition of calorie labels on packaging of alcohol drinks
- Over 80% of the public did not know or incorrectly estimated the calorie content of a large glass (250ml) of wine
- Almost 90% did not know or incorrectly estimated the calories in a pint of lager
