Scotland's billion pound takeaway
Scottish spending on takeaways increased by 9% last year to cross the £1 billion mark, according to new figures.
The figures estimate the average household spend on takeaways north of the border has grown 5% since 2015 to £35 a month, despite obesity being recognised as a major problem in Scotland.
Research by Retail Economics, commissioned by the British Takeaway Campaign puts the UK figure at £12.5 billion and suggests with the sector is growing at roughly twice the rate of the overall economy, and spending could hit £15 billion by 2023.
The BTC is using the figures to call for an urgent acceleration of plans to up-skill young people, with a points-based immigration system to help takeaway owners recruit skilled chefs from abroad.
Ibrahim Dogus, BTS chairman, said: "The takeaway sector has firmly established itself as an engine room of the economy - providing growth, jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurs to start up their own thriving businesses.
"And as people look for healthier and more diverse eating options, they aren't turning away from takeaways - they are turning towards them.
"What we need from the Government are policies that support this great British success story.
"That means more vocational training for young Brits and an immigration system that ensures that skilled chefs can come to the UK too.''
The figures emerged a week after Food Standards Scotland (FSS) research revealed a majority of Scots (68%) are in favour of mandatory calorie labelling on takeaway menus.
FSS chairman Ross Finnie said 98% of people in Scotland eat out, and "around 25% of all our calories now comes from the food we eat out of home''.
The research also suggested strong support for reducing excessive calorie contents by changing recipes (79%), cutting portion sizes (73%) and ensuring single-serve pack sizes are available (70%).
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