Tales of the Red Tape #5: Calorie Counts Forced Down Our Throats

Diane Katz / April 06, 2011

You’re too fat, and vending machines are to blame. The government says so and is doing something about it.

To temper the snack food cravings we are supposedly incapable of controlling, Congress is forcing vendors to post the calorie counts of vending machine items. Thus, we’ll supposedly pick the healthier brand of potato chips, cookies, candy, and soft drinks.

According to the designated enforcer, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the new regulation will add 14 million hours of extra work each year to vending machine operations. (more…)