Fast food outlets in Queensland will be forced to comply with similar health protocol to New South Wales and the ACT and display the kilojoule content of foods and drink on menus.
The legislation to be introduced next year is designed to make it easier for customers to make healthy meal choices, with Heart Foundation figures showing four million Australians buy meals at fast food outlets every day.
Queensland Health Minister Geoff Wilson said while some food retailers already provide nutrition information, he wants to ensure customers are always informed about what they’re eating.
"The new laws will mean that right across the state the major fast food chains will be required to provide more information about the energy content of their standard food items," he said.
"That’ll mean that consumers get a win because they’ll get more information."
Wilson wants the scheme to begin reducing the rate of obesity.
"Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in Queensland and Australia. One in three adults in Queensland is overweight at the moment and one in five is obese," he said.
"By 2020 it’ll be much worse and we want to make sure people are provided with as much information as possible to make the right choices to improve their health."
The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) expressed its “disappointment” that some states were taking matters into their own hands and unveiling nutritional information on menu schemes without waiting for the national scheme the AFGC working on.
Last month Subway announced plans to display nutritional information on menus, following in the footsteps of McDonald’s and other Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) who did the same.
Image: Perth Now