In the Czech Republic

Employees

300 employees responded to the questionnaire. The target response was 5%, which was not reached in this case. Nonetheless, some important results emerged from this initial questionnaire that helped to shape the first set of tools and messages.
The following graph analyses the overall weight of employees. This self-reported response fits with the national statistics previously mentioned in the percentage of overweight adult population.

Figure 6: Breakdown of employee reported weight:

The percentage of employees who have a lunch break during the working day is shown in the following graph. The Czech Republic has the lowest percentage of employees having lunch every working day (53.2%). Only a small minority though never have a lunch break clearly making the majority a suitable target group.

Figure 7: Percentage of employees having lunch daily:

More than 90% Czech employees eat lunch in a restaurant (94.8%):

Figure 8: Breakdown of lunch places frequented by Czech employees:

The following questions were taken from the questionnaires and show the attitude of the Czech respondents:
During working day, I choose a restaurant or a cafeteria because: ‘It is close to my workplace’ (67%), ‘It offers a big quantity of food’ (47%).
The majority of employees are looking for convenience and value for money when choosing where to have their lunch break. Nutrition was the least chosen answer with unfortunately only 11.5% of respondents motivated by the nutritional quality of the food.
At lunchtime, I decide what I am going to eat according to: ‘What I want at the present time’ (78.9%). Convenience was again the main determinant of choice. The least chosen answer was: ‘The waiter’s advice’ (3.6%), which leads us to assume that customers prefer to make their own food choices.
What do you think is the meaning of ‘balanced nutrition’? ‘Various types of food in moderate amounts eaten in a nice environment’ (88.7%).
Regarding nutritional advice in a restaurant I would like to have: ‘An indication of the total energy value’ (47.7%), ‘a symbol pointing balanced dishes’ (47.3%).
More than in any of the other countries surveyed, in the Czech Republic 9.7% of respondents were not interested in nutritional information. The majority of employees declared that a list of restaurants close to their company, which offer balanced food, completed by nutritional information sent by email would be the best way to alert them to a nutritional programme. Employees are therefore interested in being contacted directly and receiving guidance.
‘For me, the best way to be sensitised about a nutritional programme would be’: In the workplace - a list of restaurants close to my company (65%). At the restaurant or cafeteria - Placemats on the table (46.4%). These results have led to the development of the restaurant network and some of the project’s tools.

Restaurants

41 restaurants responded to the questionnaire. Despite the small number of results, some conclusions regarding this sector were made that lead to recommendations toward restaurants and formed the base of the communication effort.
56% of respondents claimed not to be aware of the existence of nutritional programmes. This result leads to the need to educate the restaurateurs about the existence of such programmes and their possible implementations in the restaurants.
The main reasons given for not making changes to the food on offer were budget (46.2%) and time (33.3%). Also, 63.4% of the respondents do not use local products in their cooking. However, a majority of respondents would like to learn more about balanced food.

50% of restaurant owners would like to have received training and practical work and be informed about balanced nutrition. This has led to the creation of individual workshops to restaurants in the Czech Republic that was piloted in 45 restaurants.