FSA praises pub companies over healthier menus

The Food Standards Agency has praised the progress made by pub companies to help their customers make healthier menu choices.

The companies Whitbread, Punch Pub Company, Marston's Inns and Taverns, Greene King and JD Wetherspoon, all made their first commitments to healthy eating in February 2009 and were asked by the Agency to review and extend them each year.

The first review is now complete and progress made by the pub cos supports the Agency's priorities to reduce salt and saturated fat, providing healthier choices and more information for their customers.

Salt levels have been reduced by all the pub chains, with many products now meeting FSA 2010/2012 targets.

All companies are working to reduce saturated fat levels in their products; for example by changing the ingredients and recipes and using healthier cooking techniques such as rotisserie cooking.

Companies are looking to provide portions which meet their customers' needs; for example ensuring the portion sizes and nutritional content of their children's menus are appropriate and offering more choice, such as 'light bites', for adults.

Each company has now set itself further targets for the forthcoming year.

Clair Baynton, head of nutrition at the FSA, said: "It's very encouraging to see so many parts of the UK pub industry making such good progress in providing healthier food choices to their customers.

"Eating out is nowadays a regular part of most people's lives so it's important that healthy options should be available whenever possible.

"The Agency looks forward to seeing these companies continue to make further

progress."

The Agency is currently working with 44 companies, each of which has produced a commitment document which set out actions the companies have carried out, or are planning, towards healthier catering.

These cover procurement, menu planning, kitchen practice and consumer information. The commitment work covers the breadth of the catering sector and includes workplace caterers, foodservice suppliers, pubs, coffee and sandwich shop, and restaurants chains.