US moves ahead with Obama menu-label law

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is moving ahead with Obamaera requirements to post calorie counts in restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and pizza delivery chains nationwide next year.

Despite years of opposition by some food sellers, the Food and Drug Administration is offering only minor compromises to industry complaints about the difficulties of displaying calories at takeout chains, self-service buffets and other non-restaurant food locations.

The FDA posted preliminary guidance online Tuesday to help businesses comply with the law.

The menu labeling rules, championed by former first lady Michelle Obama, appear on track to take effect next May after years of delays.

“When you arm consumers with reliable information, they are going to make better decisions, smarter and more informed decisions about their diet,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in an interview. “Providing this information is more important now than ever because more people are eating their meals away from the home.”

The FDA rejected requests from pizza chains, including Domino’s Pizza, which wanted to post calorie information on their websites instead of each store location, arguing that most customers don’t visit their physical locations. However, the agency said stores have a variety of options for displaying calorie counts beyond traditional menu boards, including electronic kiosks, tablet devices and even paper menus.

Food industry groups did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The restaurant industry has backed the law, and major chains including Starbucks, Subway and McDonald’s are already posting calorie counts.