Date

Steve Conway conway.steve@leg.wa.gov Larry Crouse crouse.larry@leg.wa.gov
Alex Wood wood.alex@leg.wa.gov Tami Green green.tami@leg.wa.gov
Cary Condotta condotta.cary@leg.wa.gov Jim Moeller moeller.jim@leg.wa.gov
Bruce Chandler chandler.bruce@leg.wa.gov Brendan Williams williams.brendan@leg.wa.gov

Dear Members of the House Commerce and Labor Committee:

RE: Nutrition information at chains: HB 3160

I am writing to urge your opposition to SB 3160 addressing nutrition information at chain restaurants in Washington State. Unfortunately HB 3160 will not help consumers make informed decisions when ordering their food. This bill does not required nutrition information to be consistently placed on the menu where consumers can use it to order. Instead, consumers will have to search for this information at each chain restaurant. Additionally, HB3160 preempts the King County Board of Health’s unanimously passed menu labeling regulation. Effect August 1, the regulation requires chains with ten or more locations nationally to provide nutrition information on menus where it will make real difference consumers order.

SB3160 allows nutrition information to be posted on a: poster, placemat, kiosk, internet, tray liner, counter, brochure, table tent or menu. Many chain restaurants with 25 or more locations nationally (SB3160 definition of chain restaurants) already have nutrition information available electronically but it does not help consumers at the point of ordering. According to national surveys the majority of consumers want nutrition information on menus at chain restaurants. Studies have found that half of consumers use the Nutrition Facts panel on packages to make their decisions between products.

The leading health organizations agree that providing nutrition information on menus is an important step to help combat the obesity epidemic, including the American Medical Association, American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. Providing calories, trans fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate and sodium empowers consumers to make an informed choice when placing their order. Having nutrition information next to the menu item and price allows people to take responsibility for their own health and make better informed decisions when eating away from home. Consistently having menu labeling at chain menus would be especially beneficial for managing weight and chronic diseases and helping others prevent these diseases.

We must address the rising health care costs in Washington. Overweight and obesity are costing our state a staggering $1.3 billion per year and that number is rising. Currently about 60% of adults in Washington are overweight or obese and are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. Since the average American is spending about half of their food dollar away from home, placing nutrition information on menus or menu boards is a critical step toward assisting consumers in making informed choices to improve their health and reduce the escalating health care costs in our state.

Please oppose HB3160 from moving forward and allow King County the opportunity to implement and evaluate menu labeling supported by many health organizations as an innovative approach to the obesity epidemic. Please don’t preempt local decisions that can help the rest of the country.

Thank you for your time and consideration of my comments on nutrition menu labeling legislation. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

(Name) and (Address)