ARLINGTON, Va. — The Food Marketing Institute and National Grocers Association both voiced support for a Senate bill introduced Thursday that would exclude supermarkets from the Food and Drug Administration’s menu labeling regulations.
"The scope of the nutrition labeling provision as proposed by Congress was to provide a uniform standard for chain restaurant menu labeling, not grocery stores," said Peter J. Larkin, president and chief executive officer, NGA. "We look forward to working with Congress to pass this key legislation and prevent such a large and costly regulatory burden from passing onto our members."
According to FMI, supermarkets already label 95% of the foods they sell. They provide information in the form of mandatory Nutrition Facts, country-of-origin, allergen and ingredient labeling, as well as voluntary programs like shelf tags, Jennifer Hatcher, FMI senior vice president of government and public affairs, said in a press release.
“FDA’s current, proposed menu labeling rule imposes a billion-dollar burden on supermarkets, with no additional, quantifiable benefit to supermarket customers, according [to] FDA’s analysis,” said Hatcher.
The Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, is similar to a House bill introduced in March.
Read more: FMI: Menu Labeling Must Exclude Grocery Stores
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