Council orders fish and chip shops to put fewer holes in salt shakers

A generous sprinkling of salt is as much a part of the traditional fish-and-chips experience as a splash of vinegar.

But in these health-conscious times, it was never going to be long before the nation's chippies came under pressure to change.

To cut the amount added, Rochdale council has come up with a novel, and extremely simple, solution - cut the number of holes in the lids of salt shakers.



Takeaways are being issued with catering-sized salt pots with just five holes in the lid, rather than the usual 17 or 18, cutting the amount of salt on the average portion of chips by more than half.

But questions are being asked as to whether they would really make a difference.

Mark Petrou, whose takeaway in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, Petrou Brothers, is reigning fish and chip shop of the year, said: "People know how much salt they like - surely they will just shake it for longer?"