Calorie count laws are a type of
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vari ...
that require restaurants (typically only larger
restaurant chain
A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand, Management, central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate the retail and dining markets and many service categories, ...
s) to post
food energy
Food energy is chemical energy that animals (including humans) derive from their food to sustain their metabolism, including their muscular activity.
Most animals derive most of their energy from aerobic respiration, namely combining the carbohyd ...
and
nutritional
Nutrition is the biochemical and physiological process by which an organism uses food to support its life. It provides organisms with nutrients, which can be metabolized to create energy and chemical structures. Failure to obtain sufficient nu ...
information on the food served on menus.
Studies of consumer behavior have shown that for some fast-food chains consumers reduce calorie consumption but at other chains do not. In response to federal regulation in the United States, some restaurant chains have modified certain items to reduce calories, or introduced new menu items as lower-calorie alternatives.
United States
The first U.S. menu item calorie labeling law was enacted in 2008 in New York City. California was the first state to enact a calorie count law, which occurred in 2009. Restaurants that do not comply can be fined up to $2,000.
Other localities and states have passed similar laws.
Nutrition labeling requirements of the Affordable Care Act Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that standard menu items at qualifying chain restaurants and vending machines have proper nutrition labeling. Though the Affordable Care Act was signed into federal law ...
were signed into federal law in 2010, but implementation was delayed by the FDA several times until they went into effect on May 7, 2018.
Legal challenges
In 2009, a federal appellate court rejected the New York State Restaurant Association's challenge to the city's 2007 regulation requiring most major fast-food and chain restaurants to prominently display calorie information on their menus. The rule applies to restaurants that are part of chains with at least 15 establishments doing business nationally.
References
Food law
2009 in American law
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