Lunch meal deals contribution to overconsumption and use of the intervention ladder models to examine stakeholders’ potential actions to reduce calorie content

Abstract

This study examines the degree to which retailers’ lunch meal deal promotions meet the UK government’s One You campaign recommendation of 600 kcal for lunch. In parallel, the government are encouraging companies to reduce the calorie content of food and banning promotions encouraging overconsumption. Public policy intervention ladder models are used with upstream social marketing to consider how these government actions might affect companies and consumers’ freedom of choice. A census of the calories of lunch meal deal items in five stores was conducted to determine the degree to which they met the 600 kcal recommendation. 23% of lunch meal deals exceeded the 600 kcal guideline, and on average contained 10% more calories. Actions to reduce calorie content and their impact on stakeholders’ freedom are considered.