A new eye-tracking study reveals calorie labels on menus barely influence what people order—unless they’re already dieting. Findings raise fresh questions about the UK’s mandatory menu-labelling policy and its real impact on eating behaviour.
A new eye-tracking study suggests that the calorie numbers printed on menus—introduced across large UK food outlets in 2022—have far less influence than expected. Researchers found that unless diners were actively trying to lose weight, they largely ignored the information, even when they briefly looked at it.
Participants examined traditional pub menus twice: once without calorie labels and once with them. Despite scanning items like a 2,502-calorie chicken Kiev or 1,921-calorie fried chicken burger, most diners still chose dishes based on taste, habit, allergies, or the social nature of eating out.
‘Food Is Emotional, Not Mathematical’
Co-author Dr Pablo Pereira Doel from the University of Surrey said diners’ decisions run much deeper than nutrition numbers: “Food choices are driven far more by habit, taste and personal goals than by nutritional information alone.”
Eye-tracking revealed that nearly half of the participants didn’t believe they noticed the calorie labels—yet their eyes had paused on the numbers. Still, the information rarely changed their order unless they were weight-conscious.
On average, diners consumed 2,566 calories from the unlabelled menu and 2,328 calories from the labelled version—a difference too small to be meaningful.
What This Means for Public Health
The research adds to growing evidence that mandatory calorie labelling may be too weak to shift eating habits in settings where meals feel like a “treat.” Experts suggest that workplaces, schools and regular dining environments may show stronger results.
A separate study from the University of Liverpool supports this, finding the policy cut purchases by just 18.5 calories on average—a negligible amount. The findings are published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.
Together, the findings challenge policymakers to look beyond numbers on menus and address the emotional, social and habitual forces that shape how we eat.