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High street coffee shops cut salt and fat in food
Anna Davis06.03.09
Seven coffee shop and food chains today promised to cut the level of salt and fat in their produce as part of a healthy eating campaign.
Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Pret A Manger, Caffè Nero, Eat, Greggs and BB's will display nutritional information alongside cakes and sandwiches.
The Government's Food Standards Agency today revealed that Pret a Manger would display calorie counts, Starbucks would change at least 10 best-selling products and Eat would make sandwiches, soups and salads healthier. Costa Coffee will only sell food rated healthy by the FSA and Greggs will remove hydrogenated fat, artificial colourings and flavourings from its pies.
The shops' promises come amid concern that consumers underestimate calories in high street coffee shop food. A large coffee and a muffin at Costa Coffee or Starbucks can contain more than 1,000 calories - about half of an adult's recommended daily intake.
Officials are also concerned that shops and supermarkets' efforts to reduce salt, sugar and fat will be undermined if customers get a taste for more unhealthy food at cafés. The £1billion-a-year coffee shop business accounts for a quarter of the food we eat.
Tim Smith, chief executive of the FSA, said: "Behind the scenes there's quite a bit of reformulation work going on. Whether the sandwich shop chooses then to brag about that or make it a marketing advantage, I don't think we're so interested.
"But some of the changes will be invisible, so your BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich) might be a BLT, but it might have lower-salt bread, low-fat mayonnaise and less fatty bacon."
Reader views (3)
I would love to see Starbucks put more coffee in their cuppacinos
- Peter Noterfed, Paris, France
Surely that will mean that with fewer ingredients, they will be cheaper then?
- Mh Watson, Teddington
It is strange how one Government department dictates what we should eat and promotes a healthier lifestyle, whilst another is happy to use Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Cadbury to fund 2012 Olympics.
- Lyndon Gee, Westminster
