Claims 'irresponsible' menus are being served to children

Concerns have been raised about meal choices for children

The survey was carried out by the Soil Association.

Other news: Flooding causes temporary closure of Wigan gymTheir ranking of 28 popular chains has found “irresponsible” menus in supermarket cafes, with Marks & Spencer Cafe serving no vegetables on its children’s menu and Tesco Cafe, Giraffe and Wagamama serving no British meat.

Tesco, Ask Italian, Giraffe, Harvester, Hungry Horse, Prezzo, and Zizzi were unable to trace the meat they served to children back to the farm.

The campaign said chains were failing to support British farmers.

Instead they were serving chicken from Thailand and Brazil, meat from Hungary and Uruguay, fish from China, Indonesia, and Malaysia, cucumbers from the Canary Islands, tomatoes from Tunisia and Senegal and mushrooms from Poland.

JD Wetherspoon topped the league table, followed by Ikea and Harvester, for their use of organic and sustainable ingredients and amount of vegetables.

Children’s meals in the highest scoring chains were on average £1 cheaper than meals in the lowest scoring chains, the Out to Lunch table shows.

Several chains offered “excessively sugary” puddings. Hungry Horse’s Mini-Mania Sundae was found to contain 56.2 grams of sugar - more than double a child’s recommended daily sugar allowance.

Several, including Bella Italia and Giraffe, served children single-use plastics such as cups and straws, while 20 chains are “dishing up deforestation” by serving meat fed with uncertified animal feed, the Soil Association said.

One parent reported six plastic cups and straws over two courses for two children at Giraffe.

Supermarket cafes were included in the league table for the first time but generally scored near the bottom of the table.

Diners found mouldy fruit at Morrisons Cafe while and Asda Cafe declined to say whether it used free-range eggs.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Pizza Express and Tesco Cafe ranked at the bottom of the league table.

Soil Association policy officer Hattie Shepherd said: “Many chains are being irresponsible and failing to offer children the food they deserve.

“Parents would be shocked if they knew popular chains were dishing up deforestation to their children - especially when it’s clear from top performing chains like Wetherspoon and Ikea that cost isn’t a barrier to healthy and sustainable food.

“And why are British chains and supermarkets sourcing meat from Thailand and China over British farmers? Our children deserve better.”