Vending Industry Nuts Over Calorie Requirements

The Chicago Tribune reports:

The vending machine industry is up in arms following a new report by the Food and Drug Administration that estimates the industry will need to spend 14 million hours annually to comply with new calorie disclosure laws.

The new requirements, signed into law this March under sweeping health reform legislation, require vending machine operators with 20 or more locations to provide a sign in close proximity to each food item in a vending machine to disclose the calorie count of that item before it is chosen.

Under the new law, chain retail food establishments with 20 or more locations are also required to add calorie counts to menus and further disclosures. But for those restaurants, most of the money and time spent complying with the law will be in the initial phase, the FDA estimated; whereas, ongoing compliance is expected to be the most burdensome requirement for the vending machine industry.

More regulations less jobs.