Research into experiences of businesses providing out of home nutrition information in Scotland and Wales

Tender description

Food Standards Scotland is looking to contract with an external supplier to undertake research into the business experience of providing calorie or nutrition information in out of home businesses in Scotland and Wales. Lot 1: In 2021, the Scottish Government published the Diet and healthy weight out of home (OOH) action plan (https://www.gov.scot/publications/diet-and-healthy-weight-out-of-home-action-plan/) following recommendations from Food Standards Scotland (FSS) in 2019. Among the recommendations made by FSS included one to make calorie labelling mandatory in the OOH sector in Scotland, at the point of consumer choice. Scotland and Wales both independently consulted on mandatory calorie labelling in out of home settings, in 2022. Following uncertainty and concerns around calorie labelling from the public, and recognition of the need to explore alternative methods, including providing wider nutrition information and providing information on request, as opposed to at the point of sale, the decision to mandate calorie labelling was paused in both Scotland and Wales. Most of the research on calorie labelling policy has focused on the impact on consumer behaviour, more recently, the impact on eating disorders, and to a much less extent, business reformulation. There has not been any research undertaken to explore the feasibility of providing broader nutrition information as opposed to only calorie information, and the feasibility of providing this on an on-request basis as opposed to at the point-of-choice. No research of this kind has been undertaken in Scotland or Wales, where calorie labelling is not mandatory, nor across a representative range of businesses operating in Scotland or Wales. FSS is looking to contract with an external supplier to undertake research into exploring the implications of businesses providing calorie / nutrition information and the feasibility of providing the information on request as opposed to at the point of sale. Specifically, the proposed aims are to: 1. Determine the extent to which businesses selling food in the OOH sector in Scotland and Wales voluntarily provide calorie or nutrition information both online and in-store. 2. Explore experiences of businesses (including those providing bilingual menus) providing calorie and/or nutrition information (including perceived impacts on consumer choices). 3. Explore actions taken by businesses when providing calorie/nutrition information. 4. Explore the implications of businesses providing broader nutrition information, as opposed to only calorie information, including impacts if UK nations take different approaches. 5. Explore the feasibility of businesses providing calorie / nutrition information in a different format for example on-request / available through others means such as via a QR Code as opposed to, at the point of choice , including impacts if UK nations take different approaches.