The State Duma Has Proposed Removing Salt and Sugar Shakers from Restaurants.

Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Vladislav Davankov has proposed removing salt and sugar shakers from restaurants and cafés as part of the fight against obesity and diabetes in Russia. In his view, this would help reduce consumption of salt and sugar, which Russians often use to excess out of habit.

Davankov noted that one in three Russians over-salts their food, even when a dish is already salty enough. Salt and sugar at food-service venues are often placed on every table, which fosters a persistent habit of consuming these products in large quantities. According to the lawmaker, this can have a negative effect on people's health.

Even so, the lawmaker isn't proposing to do away with salt and sugar shakers in restaurants entirely. He believes they should be taken off the tables but still provided on request. This approach, in Davankov's view, doesn't limit consumers' freedom of choice, but does encourage more mindful consumption of salt and sugar. Such a step would reduce the likelihood of unconsciously overconsuming these products, without creating extra costs for the restaurant business.