Action Alert: Tell Movie Theaters to Disclose Calories

From the Center for Science in the Public Interest:

As you may know, Congress passed a law in 2010 to require chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments to provide calorie information for their food items on menus and menu boards.  The law applies to chain restaurants, vending machines, and other food-service establishments with restaurant-type food, such as movie theaters.  The movie theater industry has lobbied to be exempt from the regulation.  Yet, movie theaters in New York City, California, and other localities already post calories due to their local laws. 

And this is information consumers deserve to be told. At Regal Cinemas, a large tub of popcorn contains 1,200 calories (without buttery topping); with a soft drink and candy it’s a day’s worth of calories. If a company is selling you a 2,000 calorie “snack,” the least they can do is tell you. 

Please help close this labeling loophole by tweeting at the 3 largest movie theater chains. Let them know you don’t want movie theaters exempt from calorie labeling.  Model tweets are below. And please take a minute to share this with your friends and family.  Thank you in advance!

• .@AMCTheatres @RegalMovies @CinemarkUSA Don’t keep us in the dark. Disclose #calories. Eliminate #CalLoophole @whitehouse

• .@AMCTheatres @RegalMovies @CinemarkUSA 1,000+ cals in a popcorn tub? Least u can do is post calories. Close the #CalLoophole @whitehouse

• .@AMCTheatres @RegalMovies @CinemarkUSA You post #calories in NYC theaters. Why not nationally? Close the #CalLoophole. @whitehouse

• .@AMCTheatres @RegalMovies @CinemarkUSA Don’t lobby to avoid menu labeling. Give customers #calorie info @whitehouse

Sincerely,

Margo G. Wootan, D.Sc.
Director, Nutrition Policy
Center for Science in the Public Interest