Table 3.
Implemented menu labeling policies across countries worldwide, 2008–2020*.
| Country, Year | Policy Type | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Australia, 2011–2018 | Mandatory, four states and one territory | Restaurant chains with ≥20 outlets in the state, or 50 or more across the country, are required to present the energy content (kilojoules) and include a daily intake statement on menus and menu boards. Similar food businesses are invited to voluntarily implement menu labeling. |
| States of New South Wales, 2011: Food regulation 2011 | ||
| Australia Capital Territory, 2012: Amendments to Food Regulation 2002 | ||
| Australia, South Australia, 2012: Amendments to Food Regulation 2002 | ||
| Australia, Queensland, 2017: Amendments to Food Act 2006 | ||
| Australia, Victoria, 2018: Amendment to Food Act 1984 | ||
| Bahrain, 2010 | Voluntary, national | The Nutrition Section of the Ministry of Health recommends that fast-food chain restaurants display nutrients per serving, including calories, fat, protein, carbohydrates, salt/sodium, and sugar. |
| Canada, Ontario, 2017 | Mandatory, province | In 2015, Ontario’s Healthy Menu Choices Act, part of the Making Healthier Choices Act (Bill 45) in the Ontario Regulation 50/16, requires food service establishments with 20 or more businesses to depict calories for menu items on paper and electronic menus, menu boards, drive-through menus, menu applications, and advertisements or promotional flyers. |
| Ireland, 2015 | Mandatory, national | In 2015, the Health Service Executive approved the implementation of Calorie Posting Policy across health services in all food and beverage facilities (i.e., restaurants, coffee shops, catering services, and vending machines). |
| Malaysia, 2008 | Voluntary, national | In 2008, the Malaysian government released voluntary guidelines for the advertising and nutrition labeling of restaurant chains to display nutrient information on the menu items (i.e., calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, and sodium for food and total sugar for beverages). |
| Saudi Arabia, 2018 | Mandatory, national | In 2018, the Saudi Food and Drug Authority launched mandatory measures that require calorie labeling on menu items for all food facilities, including cashier desks, menu boards, table menus, drive-through menus, phone, and web applications. |
| South Korea, 2010 | Mandatory, national | In 2010, the South Korean government enforced through the Special Act on Safety Control of Children’s Dietary Life that restaurants with more than 100 outlets are required to report energy, total sugars, protein, saturated fat and sodium on the menus |
| Taiwan, 2015 | Mandatory, national | From 2015, the Taiwanese Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation that regulates business chains (i.e., convenience stores, drink vendors, and fast-food restaurants) requires the labeling of the sugar and caffeine content of prepared-when-ordered drinks. |
| United Arab Emirates, 2020 | Mandatory, state/emirate | The 2017–2020 National Nutrition Agenda for Dubai requires food retailers to display the calorie content of menu items and a daily intake statement, effective 1 January 2020. |
| United Kingdom, 2011 | Voluntary, national | From 2011–2015, the Out of Home Calorie Labelling pledge, part of the government’s Responsibility Deal (2010 to 2015), established for businesses with 45 or more food establishments the need to provide calorie information on menus in England, Scotland, and Wales. In 2012, the Food Standards Agency worked with Northern Ireland and the local food industry to encourage calorie labeling on menus |
| United States, 2010-2018 | Mandatory, national | In 2010, Section 4205 of the Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148 (HR 3590), mandated that restaurant chains and other food retail establishments (i.e., convenience stores, coffee shops, grocery stores, cafeterias) with 20 or more locations would be required to disclose calories and daily intake statements on menus and menu boards and make other nutrition information available to customers upon request. The law became effective on 1 May 2018. |
* Policy is defined as a law, procedure, regulation, rule, or standard that guides how government, businesses, and organizations operate and how citizens live their lives [72].