You’ll recall that a federal menu labeling law was passed in 2010 which mandated that chain food establishments post calorie counts prominently on menus and menu boards.  This seemed like a no-brainer — a law that gives consumers the nutritional information they need, at point of purchase, to make better choices for themselves and their families. The law is currently in the rule making stage. However, intense industry lobbying and a proposed law from a Texas Congressman is threatening to weaken this sensible measure.

That’s why I have launched a change.org petition – Don’t exempt pizza chains, theaters, markets and others from menu labeling!

We all know that industry fights any public health policy that could improve our food system and the health of Americans.  Let’s get enough signatures on this petition to show the Obama administration that Americans support the original law!

To sign the change.org petition, click here.

I’ve copied the text from the petition below:

What exactly are the pizza, movie theater, grocery and convenience store industries trying to hide?

In 2010, a federal law was passed to get chain food establishments to provide calorie counts on menus and menu boards. That law makes good sense. Who can tell that a cinnamon roll (510 calories) has more than double the calories in a glazed donut (220), or that a typical tuna salad sandwich has almost 50 percent more calories (720) than a roast beef sandwich (460)?

But now the pizza industry, along with the movie theater, supermarket and convenience store industries, are trying to exempt themselves from and weaken this labeling law — even though many Americans regularly purchase pre-made meals from these outlets. Under Texas Representative John Carter’s self-servingly named, “Common Sense Disclosure Act of 2012” (HR 6174), supermarkets, convenience stores and movie theaters would not have to post the calories for their prepared foods at all, and pizza chains would only have to list “calories per serving.” That’s a real problem since a “personal-sized” pizza can actually contain  four servings!  How misleading is that?  

Any industry that’s afraid to share basic nutritional information with you probably does have something to hide.  But Americans deserve that information to allow them to make their own decisions about what to purchase and eat. 

Please tell President Obama, Secretary Sebelius and Commissioner Margaret Hamburg that you want calorie labeling on menus and menu boards at pizza chains, movie theaters, grocery stores and convenience stores! 

I hope you will sign and pass on this important menu labeling petition.

Let’s show industry that our voices are more powerful than their lobbying!