Derry City and Strabane District Council has announced the continued rollout of new nutritional standards for vending machines across its public venues.
This follows a successful pilot in Foyle Arena last year.
Building on the successful implementation of nutritional standards in Health and Social Care facilities, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has worked in collaboration with local councils to extend these standards to vending services in all public spaces.
In a bid to improve public health and wellbeing, DCSDC rolled out the initiative across vending machines in Foyle Arena in 2025.
Feedback from users was positive, with staff and visitors at the leisure centre noting that 93% of respondents were satisfied with the revised vending machine offerings under the new standards.
Further results showed a 26% reduction in average calories and a 35% reduction in sugar per unit sold.
The standards introduce simple changes, including calorie limits on snacks such as crisps, chocolate, and sweets, along with a reduction in the number of sugary drinks available.
Derry City and Strabane District Council say the pilot scheme will remain in place as further enhancements are explored.
