Major restaurant chains in the UK are still falling short of voluntary government targets for sugar, salt and calories, according to a cross-sectional study that reviewed 3,099 menu items from 21 of the country’s highest-grossing outlets. Researchers found that the average menu item contained 450 kcal per serving, 2.0 g of salt and 10.9 g of sugar, raising renewed questions about whether stronger regulation may be needed to improve public health.
Thousands of menu items fall outside public health goals
The analysis, published in PLOS Medicine and reported on 8 May 2026, examined nutritional data from online menus rather than customer purchases. Across all menu items, the study found 277 kcal, 1.1 g of salt and 9.5 g of sugar per 100 g on average. Desserts were the category with the highest sugar content per 100 g, while Desserts and Other Mains ranked highest for calories. The researchers said the findings highlight low adherence to the UK’s voluntary reduction targets and the limited progress made by the out-of-home food sector.
The study comes as eating out has grown sharply in the UK, with the out-of-home sector increasingly dominated by a small number of large multinational chains. The authors noted that voluntary targets were designed to help reduce average salt, sugar and calorie intake across the food system, including restaurants, but the new findings suggest the sector remains well behind those goals. A summary of the study is available from News-Medical.
Why the findings matter for cardiometabolic health
The research was framed against growing concern about dietary risk factors for obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The authors linked the high salt, sugar and calorie content of restaurant meals to wider public health risks and argued that the current reliance on voluntary targets may not be enough to drive meaningful change. The study assessed compliance with targets first for out-of-home foods and then against manufacturer and retailer standards, showing that many menu items remained far above recommended levels.
For UK clinicians, dietitians and public health leaders, the results may add pressure to the debate over whether mandatory food reformulation policies are needed. The study’s authors said the data could support tighter monitoring of restaurant nutrition content and clearer benchmarks for the sector, particularly as consumers eat out more often and rely on commercially prepared food for a larger share of daily intake.
What the study looked at
Researchers calculated mean and median sugar, salt and calorie content per serving and per 100 g across 12 food subcategories and each of the 21 restaurant chains. Their focus was on menu-listed foods, not food that was actually purchased, because item-level sales data were unavailable. Even with that limitation, the scale of the analysis suggests a broad pattern of non-compliance rather than isolated examples.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that diet quality in the out-of-home sector remains a challenge for UK nutrition policy. As restaurant dining continues to expand, the study indicates that nutritional improvement will likely require more than encouragement alone.
