Hospitality bosses have warned that mandatory calorie labelling on restaurant menus it could see footfall drop in the industry already hit by pandemic lockdowns.

A nationwide consultation on the matter is due to close on Friday, after similar legislation was already introduced in England earlier this year. 

The Scottish Government proposals could see food outlets forced to include calorie information for all items they are selling. 

It comes as part of a drive to reduce obesity levels, but charities have also warned it is already having a "detrimental impact" on people suffering from eating disorders in England.

Glasgow-based chef Tanya Gohil raised concerns it would discourage people from eating out. 

The restaurateur, who runs Silk Road Deli in the Shawlands area of the city, said the proposals could "put lots of people off" from eating out.  

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READ MORE: Can calorie counts on menus really reverse the obesity crisis?

She said: “If these proposals are implemented in Scotland, we could see a real decline in the number of people choosing to dine out. As a small business owner that’s really concerning, particularly during this crucial trading time after a difficult few years for the sector. 

“The reality is people want to go out and enjoy a meal without thinking about how many calories they’re consuming. Eating out is an experience enjoyed by millions of Scots each year and I worry that this could put lots of people off. 

“Realistically, lots of restaurants will have to look at adapting their menus or changing ingredients to make their dishes low-calorie too. This will of course have an impact on costs and in some instances could affect the flavours of each dish.

"As a chef and small business owner, it’s frustrating to know we may be required to make these changes after what has already been a tricky few years.” 

A charity also warned that the number of people asking for help has “skyrocketed” since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Beat has called for any legislation on the issue to be avoided and has warned of the impact on those with eating disorders.

Director of external affairs for the charity Tom Quinn told  BBC’s Good Morning Scotland that Bear is already dealing with a 300% increase in the number of calls to its helpline. 

He said the consultation is " coming in at the worst possible time.”

“This is going to have a really detrimental impact on people with eating disorders," he said. "We’ve already seen that in England."

“The rules were introduced in England in April. And we’ve already seen hundreds of people contact our helpline who are feeling that it’s having a damaging impact on their eating disorder.

“So these are people who already find calorie labelling very difficult. It’s more likely to make them restrict their eating if they’re got anorexia for example, and it’s more likely to make them binge eat, if that’s something that they’re more likely to do.”

Mr Quinn argued that research revealed that it might not even help reduce the number of calories eaten.

He added: “The evidence is really clear that this will have no impact on the general public. So studies that have taken place where this has happened elsewhere have shown, for example, in the States there was a 4%, a really small reduction, in the the amount of calories eaten, but after a year that had completely disappeared, people went back to eating what they’d always been eating.

“We estimate that there are over 100,000 people with an eating disorder in Scotland. It’s not a small number of people that would be affected by this.

A recent survey found 95% of Scots affected by eating disorders would be negatively impacted by calorie labelling on menus, with many worried it would increase feelings of fear and guilt.  

Ms Gohil added:  “Including this information on menus could be incredibly triggering for a lot of people, and although I’m all for transparency, we need to consider how this could affect the wider population.  

“If restaurants are forced to publish this information, they should at least be required to provide two menus– one with calories and one without. We have to think about everyone.” 

“I don’t think this initiative helps in the way it is intended to.” 

Upon announcing the launch of the consultation in April, minister for public health, women’s health and sport, Maree Todd MSP, said: 

“These past two years have been extremely challenging for Scotland. Together, we have faced a very difficult COVID-19 pandemic and for many, the virus has highlighted and exacerbated a legacy of long-standing health inequalities.  

“We face another national health emergency. Obesity and poor diet continue to be one of the biggest and most complex public health challenges. 

“There is no single solution to addressing our diet and obesity challenges. However, we know that a key factor is improving our food environment, making it easy for everyone to buy healthier foods and supporting business to offer healthier options. 

“The introduction of mandatory calorie labelling at the point of choice in the OOH (Out of Home) sector would be a significant step forward and level the playing field with the retail sector, 

“We know that giving people more information, such as the number of calories in meals will enable people to make healthier choices when eating out, or ordering in.”