Trend 5: Menu transparency
As consumers wise-up to food production methods, food ingredient and global food and sustainability issues, they’ll no longer want to accept a brief dish description as a good enough introduction to their meal.
We’re used to seeing nut allergy warnings and vegan labelling, but soon will come information on the place where produce was sourced, whether dishes are suitable for people with special dietary requirements, and perhaps even a calorie count.
At the end of 2011, the chairman of the Saudi Arabia Consumer Protection Society called for a calorie count to be put on all food and drinks on restaurant menus.
Dr. Nasser Al-Tuwaim, said: “This step is part of a national plan to curb obesity, which kills about 20,000 men and women in Saudi Arabia every year. A traffic light system indicating the number of calories and protein, fat and carbohydrate levels should be put on all menus,” he said.
And it’s not just the restaurants that will be doing it.With Lebanon introducing legislation to give the government powers to regulate organic certification, suppliers will have to up their game in what they are offering their customers.
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