Calorie information was added to menus to encourage punters to choose healthier foods.
But it only reduces intake by the equivalent of two almonds per meal, according to a leading review.
Under laws that came into force three years ago, establishments with more than 250 workers (including cafes, restaurants and takeaways) are legally required to provide information on the calories of unpackaged food and soft drinks.
But the most extensive real-world findings to date suggest that this policy is not a “silver bullet,” with an average reduced intake of just 11 calories per 600-calorie meal.
Experts described the results as “modest” but “significant” in the long term, although they acknowledged that they saved the average diner about “half a Kit-Kat finger” in calories.
But critics have suggested it leaves the industry “free” to tackle the country’s obesity crisis. And charities have warned it could fuel eating disorders.
Calorie information was added to menus to encourage punters to choose healthier foods. But it only reduces intake by the equivalent of two almonds per meal, according to a leading review. Image: Stock Image

But the most extensive real-world findings to date suggest that this policy is not a “silver bullet,” with an average reduced intake of just 11 calories per 600-calorie meal. Image: Stock Image
A research team from universities including Oxford, Cambridge and UCL analyzed the impact of 25 studies involving more than 10,000 people from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and France.
The labels (also on supermarket foods) led to a 1.8 percent reduction in calories selected and a 6 percent reduction in calories consumed, according to findings published in the Cochrane review.
Dr Gareth Hollands, from UCL, said: “Our review suggests that calorie labeling leads to a modest reduction in the calories people buy and consume.”
“This may have some impact on health at the population level, but calorie labeling is certainly not a silver bullet.” Eating out is widely regarded as one of the key drivers of obesity in this country, and data suggests it contributes an average of 300 calories per person per day.
A government report estimated that 90 per cent of people aged 20 to 40 in England would gain up to 9kg in ten years. This would be avoided by reducing daily intake to 24 calories, about one percent of the recommended level for adults.
Dr Hollands said: “A quarter of a Kit-Kat or a few almonds would prevent this increase.”
But Tom Sanders, emeritus professor of nutrition at King’s College London, said: “It is debatable whether such a small change would have any impact on body weight in the long term.”
The standard was introduced in 2022 to help address rising obesity. But experts say more far-reaching measures are needed, such as curbing junk food advertising and legislation to limit the fat, salt and sugar content of takeaways.