Subway introduces kilojoule count to its menus
Subway has announced that, from today, its Australian stores will display the kilojoule content of food products on their menu boards.
Subway is the latest of several major quick service food chains in Australia to make this move. Other include Hungry Jacks, Domino’s, and McDonald’s.
From today, Subway restaurants in Australia will also display nutritional content information on napkins, counter displays and store brochures.
In a statement released today, a spokesperson for Subway said the labelling was a “positive initiative towards addressing the issue of overweight Australians and obesity”.
The statement also said that Subway is working closely with the Australian Division on Action on Salt (AWASH) to reduce the amount of sodium across its menu.
Governments consider nutritional content displays
A number of State governments in Australia including Victoria and South Australia have previously announced an intention for disclosure of nutritional information at the point of sale in fast food chain restaurants.
In December 2010, the Australia and New Zealand Food, Regulation Ministerial Council announced its intention to develop recommendations on a national approach for the disclosure of the nutritional content of foods purchased from fast food outlets.
The Blewett Review of Food Labelling, released in late January 2011, also recommended that chain food service outlets across Australia be encouraged to display a multiple traffic lights system on menus and menu boards.
The latest move by Subway is further illustration of chain food stores moving quickly to implement improved communication of nutritional information before the introduction of a mandatory obligation to do so.
