Poll Finds Voter Support for Food Labeling Requirements
Eighty-five percent of California voters support the provisions of a bill (SB 120) that would require restaurants to include nutritional information on menu boards and menus, according to a Field Poll released Thursday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The poll found that 15% of respondents opposed such efforts.
Responses from 523 registered voters were included in the poll, which was sponsored by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, a supporter of the legislation. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
SB 120, by Sens. Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) and Alex Padilla (D-Van Nuys), would require chain restaurants with 10 or more locations in California to post calories on their menu boards. Restaurants with menus would be required to print nutritional information for each item, including:
- Calories;
- Fat;
- Saturated fat; and
- Salt content.
The menu labeling is intended to reduce obesity and its related health problems.
Kearsten Shepherd, a spokesperson for the California Restaurant Association, said the bill would be costly and impractical for restaurants, many of whom already provide such information.
The Senate is expected to vote on the bill as early as next week (Ness, San Francisco Chronicle, 4/18). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.