A local councillor has called for a ban on up-selling by food retailers.
The tactic, which involves staff encouraging customers to upgrade to larger meals, adding extra sides or desserts, is common in most fast food chains.
A recent report has shown 78% of people say they are asked in restaurants and fast food outlets at least once a week if they want to “go large”, resulting in them purchasing bigger portions than they initially intended to buy.
This can result in extra calories being consumed, more money being spent or food going to waste.
The Scottish Government has recently published its diet and healthy weight strategy and is due to consult on a range of measures including upselling, in autumn 2018.
SNP Councillor Natalie Don said: “Obesity is an increasingly concerning issue which is why tackling obesity has been identified as a priority for the Scottish Government. It is time that retailers, particularly fast food chains, took more responsibility for this issue.
“I want to make it clear that I am not calling on large meals or even super size meals to be banned, people deserve to have a choice and if a large meal or a couple of extra sides is what they want they should be able to get it. However the process of offering large meals or upgrades to customers who did not ask for them or did not want them needs to end.
“Many people will often accept the offer of a larger meal even though they did not have the intention of purchasing it in the first place. What might seem like a harmless decision to upgrade at the time, can have long lasting health consequences if taken regularly.
“It can also result in food wastage, or money being spent that someone did not intend to spend or feel pressured into spending.
“The need for good value can also be a key factor in people’s temptation to upgrade. This means it is often people on low incomes or young people who will be the most susceptible to this. Perhaps rather than trying to upsell unhealthy products to those with low incomes, companies should focus on promoting and maintaining the value of healthy options.”
“I am glad that the Scottish Government will be consulting on this and hope that measures will be taken but, in the meantime, I would like to see retailers take some responsibility and think about their own actions and lead the way in ending up selling.”