NYC Pioneers New Nutritional Labeling Rules

24 May 2017 --- This week, New York City became the first city in the US to introduce new legislation which requires chain food retailers and restaurants to post calorie counts and full nutritional information on prepared foods or restaurant-type foods. Chain restaurants and retailers will be required to provide complete nutritional information, rather than just a simple calorie count, for standard menu items being offered. In addition, they will need to post a statement about the daily recommended caloric intake of 2,000 calories.

The new legislation pertains to all chain restaurants with 15 locations or more nationwide and affects approximately 3,000 restaurants and about 1,500 food retailer chains.
 
The idea is for New York City diners and shoppers to get clear and concise nutritional information about their food quickly and easily. The city is pioneering such labeling rules, and leaders are calling on other US regions to follow their lead. 
 
Anyone in breach of the rules - which are now officially in force - runs the risk of being fined between US$200 and US$600 by the US Departments of Health and Consumer Affairs. The government agencies will be enforcing the updated calorie labeling rules and educating business at the same time during regular inspections. 
 
The first notices of violations will be issued on August, according to the departments.  
 
“We are all tempted to make unhealthy choices, but with these new, common-sense rules, New Yorkers will have the information to make better choices and lead healthier lives,” says New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We can no longer wait for federal action, and urge other cities to follow our lead.”

Health experts and advocates have also welcomed New York City’s tough stance on providing transparent and complete nutritional information to the city’s diners and shoppers. 

“These new rules demonstrate our ongoing commitment to promoting and protecting the health of New Yorkers," said Dr. Herminia Palacio, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services. “These new rules give busy people quick facts they can use to make healthier choices when picking up prepared meals for themselves and their families.”

New York City has a long history of leading the way in terms of food health. In 2008 it became the first jurisdiction to require calorie labeling in chain restaurants. Numerous cities, counties and states followed suit, and in 2010 calorie labeling requirements became a part of the Affordable Care Act.

In 2015, New York City updated its longstanding Health Code rule requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information for menu items, but delayed enforcement in anticipation of an identical federal rule that would make calorie information available in chain restaurants and chain food retailers nationwide.
 
Earlier this month, the federal government announced it would delay enforcement of these rules for a year, and the City has decided to enforce its updated calorie labeling rules as planned.

“Calorie labeling makes it easier for New Yorkers to learn more about the food they are consuming,” adds Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “New York City led the way on requiring calorie labeling in chain restaurants nearly ten years ago, and we are proud to continue this work by ensuring New Yorkers can access this important information at other types of establishments.”

Health information for restaurant menu items can be found on MenuStat.org, a Health Department website with nutrition data from over 150 top national restaurants.

Earlier this year, NutritionInsight's sister website, FoodIngredientsFirst, also reported on another NYC-related rule, this time pertaining to salt. In February, a US appeal court upheld a ruling that says chain restaurants in the city must flag up menu items with high sodium content by showing a salt-shaker icon to indicate the dish has more than a full day’s recommended dose of sodium.

The National Restaurant Association originally filed the suit to appeal against an earlier call for the salt-shaker icon to be applied to foods that are high in sodium. However, the decision was taken and it will be applied to menu items with more than 2,3000 milligrams or around a teaspoon of salt.