With all the big problems with Obamacare, Forbes reports that one part of the law everyone assumed would be easy and popular is turning into a nightmare. Buried in the massive bill was a requirement that all food suppliers provide calorie labels for all foods. But trying to enforce it is driving both federal regulators and small business owners crazy. First of all, nobody knows who all it applies to: restaurants, sure, but what about food trucks or push carts or muffin stands in bookstores? And business owners have to pay someone to figure out how many calories are in everything they serve, even if the menu changes every day. Plus they have to pay to change the calorie signs every day. And what if they let the customer special order items? How can a pizzeria that offers 20 different toppings possibly list the calorie counts in every possible combination? The FDA estimates that this one unworkable regulation will cost $537 million just to try to enforce. Unless, of course, all those extra costs get added to the prices of the fast foods voters buy. In that case, I predict this is the next part of Obamacare that’s going to get delayed until ten years past the expiration date on a Twinkie.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Feb 2014 18:30:01 +0000