Calorie signs, a new app, and more healthful options are headed for McDonald’s. McDonald’s plans to begin posting calorie counts on all its menus next week — a move that will likely pressure other QSRs to follow suit. At the same time, the company introduced several menu additions aimed at making its offerings more healthful,…
McDonald’s To Test Replacing Foam Cups
Paper cups to take the place of foam cups in 2,000 restaurants in a test that is mostly to affect West Coast locations. In response to a 2011 shareholder resolution filed by shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow, McDonald’s Corp. recently confirmed that it is taking a major step toward possible phase-out of polystyrene foam…
Cigarette Warning Labels Upheld By Appeals Court
Following a federal court decision that graphic warning labels were unconstitutional, an appellate court has ruled that requiring cigarette warning labels are not a violation of free speech, rather they fall under commercial speech disclosures, are disclosing the health risks of cigarettes and are reasonably related to the government’s interest of preventing the deception of…
New Report Attacks Tobacco Sales, Targets C-Stores
Report by anti-smoking groups condemns c-stores for point-of-sale tobacco marketing. A new report, titled “Deadly Alliance: How Tobacco Companies and Convenience Stores Partner to Market Tobacco Products and Fight Life-Saving Policies” has been released by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Counter Tobacco (a project that works to counter tobacco product sales and marketing at the…
FDA Comments on the International Tobacco Regulators’ Conference
“It is only natural that like-minded leaders band together to combat this global threat in unison,” says the Commissioner of Food and Drugs. This week, 65 representatives of health and regulatory agencies from 22 countries attended the International Tobacco Regulators’ Conference, hosted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization…
Starbucks Looks To Reinvent Juice Segment With Acquisition
After buying Evolution Fresh Inc., Starbucks vows to create a never before seen retail model as it introduces a new health and wellness business based around the juice brand. Starbucks Corp. has acquired the San Bernadino, Calif.-based juice business Evolution Fresh Inc. for $30 million as part of a larger effort to move beyond just…
FDA’s Requirement For Graphic Images on Cigarette Packs Blocked
A Federal Judge strikes down FDA’s graphic image requirement on packs of cigarettes until the lawsuit is resolved. A judge has blocked a federal mandate that would require tobacco companies to add graphic images to cigarette packages in 2012, the Associated Press reported. On Monday, Nov. 7, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled cigarette manufacturers…
Food Environment Not To Blame For Obesity
New study shows state policies on food to have little to no impact on Americans’ weight. According to a new study posted by the National Bureau of Economic Research, environmental factors such as food prices or restaurant location play a minuscule role in America’s increasing rates of obesity. The new study conducted by Drs. Charles Baum…
Smaller Meal Options
Trends are changing when it comes to meal size. Many customers now prefer smaller sized meals in order to eat healthier. Customers are growing more aware of the importance of managing portion size, market research company NPD Group, revealed in its latest report titled, “Healthy Eating Strategies by Generation,” according to Vending MarketWatch. NPD listed…
Health Trend Here to Stay
Consumers in the U.S. might be trimming the fat from their budgets and diets, but contrary to predictions, they continue to demonstrate a healthy appetite for foods featuring health and wellness claims. From alpha (antioxidants) to omega (omega-3-fatty-acids), foods touting the kind of heart healthy, joint buffering, free radical extinguishing properties that appeal to aging…