Restaurants could be forced to make some of their products smaller, in order to comply with a calorie reduction programme being proposed by Public Health England (PHE). 

According to reports in multiple papers, calorie limits of 928 for pizzas and 695 for savoury pies could be introduced under the draft proposals.

PHE officials met with representatives from the food industry on Tuesday and Wednesday, with fast food restaurants, coffee shops and pubs all being represented.

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at PHE, said: “These are early days in the calorie reduction programme, but the food industry have a responsibility to act.

“The simple truth is on average we need to eat less.

“Children and adults routinely eat too many calories and it’s why we’ve seen severe obesity in 10 to 11-year-olds at an all time high.”

Tedstone added that she’s hoping the food industry acts “sooner rather than later”.

In England, a third of children leave primary school overweight or obese – with some children consuming 500 more calories per day than is recommended.

Duncan Selbie, PHE’s chief executive, said excess calorie consumption is the food industry’s “next big challenge”.

In a statement released after the meeting, he added: “This is the promising start we need to succeed in reducing calories in the foods included in the programme by 20%.”