Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 54908 on Fast Food, whether sandwiches for consumption off the premises are deemed to be fast food.

In February 2025, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published data on fast food outlets per 100,000 population. In this analysis, fast food was described as “food that is energy dense and available quickly, usually via a counter service, and for consumption on or off the premises”. This definition covers a range of outlets selling foods, including, but not limited to:

• burgers;
• pizza;
• kebabs;
• chicken;
• Indian takeaway;
• Chinese takeaway; and
• fish and chips.

It is for local planning authorities, when receiving a planning application, to consider whether, given the type of food and service to be provided at the location proposed, they consider the outlet to be either a hot food takeaway or a fast food outlet.