UK pubs lobby hits out at government plan to force venues to calorie label pints
The UK’s pubs lobby has slammed government plans to force venues to disclose how many calories are in alcoholic drinks, saying the move would be akin to “kicking pubs and brewers when they are down”.
The British Beer & Pub Association said the leaked plans were “ludicrous and “especially outrageous at this difficult time”.
The Sun reported today that health secretary Matt Hancock has floated the idea of making UK pub chains label how many calories are in pints, glasses of wine and spirits as a part of the government’s anti-obesity drive.
The information would have to be on beer taps or on menus.
The plans would also reportedly see pre-packaged alcohol sold in shops forced to show nutritional information and carry health messages by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty.
British Beer & Pub Association chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “After more than a year of being forced to close fully or operate under severe loss-making restrictions, now is not the time to heap burdensome and expensive regulation on our pubs.
“Our pubs are on their knees and the government already knows this. Calorie labelling would be kicking pubs and brewers when they are down.
“We have very serious concerns on the impact these proposals would have on the sector and on consumers.”
Matt Kilcyone, deputy director at the free market think tank Adam Smith Institute, said: “Ministers thinking up this madness should stop and drop the policy.
”Let the publicans and the punters do what they want in the pubs without Mr Hancock wagging his finger each time a pint is pulled.”