Menu Labeling Requirements Would Raise Food Costs | Economics21

Menu Labeling Requirements Would Raise Food Costs | Economics21:
"Tucked among the many regulations and provisions of the Affordable Care Act is a provision requiring chains with 20 or more locations that serve “restaurant-type food” to post calorie and other nutritional information.
...The rationale for the menu labeling requirement is that making clear nutritional information available to consumers will allow them to choose lower-calorie meals and affect menu offerings.
...Unfortunately for proponents of the requirement, menu labeling does not seem to reduce the amount of calories people consume.
...Since the Nutrition Facts label was mandated in 1990, the American population has got fatter, rather than thinner.
While the potential benefits of the labeling requirement are uncertain, the provision would come with substantial costs that would be passed on to consumers through higher food prices.
The FDA estimates that covered establishments will incur $562 million in costs through 2020..."