The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is split over the issue of whether nutritional labelling should extend to the catering sector.
The FSA board, which met in open session last month, was asked to consider the principles governing what should appear on food labels as part of a European Commission (EC) consultation on nutritional labelling.
Arguing that the catering sector should be included, board member Dr Maureen Edmondson suggested that although the focus of discussions had been on the retail sector, there was no good reason why caterers should be exempted from providing nutritional information to customers, given that more and more meals were now consumed outside the home.
Former Unilever executive Chris Pomfret agreed. The argument that 'loose food' should be excluded from such requirements had always been that customers would be able to ask for the relevant information as they were being served, he said. In reality that simply did not happen because most catering staff were not in a position to supply such information, he claimed.
However, Professor Graeme Millar feared that imposing such stringent requirements on caterers would counteract efforts to reduce the administrative burden facing small businesses and said he suspected that the EU would never accept it. He was backed by Dr Ian Reynolds who thought it would be "a real mistake" if this were made mandatory.
An official proposal from the EC is expected by the end of this year. This will address issues such as what is mandatory or voluntary information, how much information should be provided and where labels should be placed.
An on-line poll of more than 2,000 adults conducted by Harris Interactive for Food Manufacture last year found that 52% believed restaurants, cafes and pubs should provide nutritional information on menus. A further 27% were not sure, and 21% disagreed.