February 11, 2010, U.S. – Fountain beverage dispensing machines in U.S. restaurants may soon be prominently displaying the calories contained in their drinks, as the American Beverage Association answers Michelle Obama's call for innovative industry initiatives that contribute to her healthy families program.
In response, the U.S.'s non-alcoholic beverage companies are coming together to make the calories in their products even more clear and consumer friendly by putting the information on the front of all their packages, vending machines and fountain machines.
The voluntary commitment contributes to Obama's efforts to help families make informed choices as part of a balanced lifestyle. The companies will coordinate with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement the calorie initiative, which will go above and beyond what is required by the federal agency's food labeling regulations. The industry will start implementing the initiative across the country this year with completion in 2012.
The beverage industry – whose leading companies include The Coca-Cola Company, Dr. Pepper and PepsiCo – is committing to continue reducing the beverage calories in the marketplace through innovation, smaller portion sizes and further marketing of their low-calorie beverages.
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