NGA Applauds Menu-labeling Legislation

The National Grocers Association (NGA) is praising the introduction of the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017, a bipartisan bill that clarifies the Food and Drug Adminstration’s final rule regarding menu labeling at restaurants and similar food establishments, including supermarkets with 20 or more locations.

The FDA finalized menu-labeling regulations at the direction of the Affordable Care Act in November 2014, which requires chain restaurants, similar retail food establishments and vending machines with 20 or more locations to list caloric information on their menus and menu boards. The regulation is set to go into effect on May 5, 2017.

NGA has worked with members of Congress and FDA throughout the regulatory process to find what the Arlington, Va.-based trade association called "a workablesolution for supermarkets."

 “Independent supermarket operators are committed to providing their customers with transparent information about the products they sell; however, grocers continue to face challenges and uncertainty with implementing a regulation that was originally designed for chain restaurants,” said NGA President and CEO Peter Larkin said.

The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act will provide supermarkets with the flexibility needed to impart nutritional information to customers based on how the foods are prepared and sold in various supermarket formats, noted Larkin. The bill also will protect store employees from inadvertent mistakes by giving the stores 90 days to take corrective action.