From next year, all food service outlets, including restaurants and takeaways, will be required to include the calorie details of their meals on their menus.

Proposals to require this were approved at the Government's Cabinet meeting this week. When made into law, food outlets will have to display calorie information on menus at the point where food is ordered, whether this is at a table or a counter.

According to Health Minister, Leo Varadkar, providing calorie details on menus ‘is a very simply but effective way of encouraging people to choose a healthier option'.

"Food options can be deceptive. Some salads contain more calories than a burger meal. But if we make the information clearly available, at the very least people can make an informed choice. It won't work in every case but it's a powerful tool which has proved very effective in the US," he commented.

Public consultation suggests that the vast majority of people would like to see calories on menus. Currently, it is up to food outlets whether they display calories, however most do not.

The drafting of the relevant legislation is to begin immediately ‘and should be ready for enactment in 2016', according to the Department of Health.

"The proposed laws will require all menus, including boards, leaflets, digital menus or other forms, to display the amount of calories alongside the price in the same font size and colour," the department added.