Calorie Count Displays Coming To Vending Machines in U.S.
By Justin Udo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A change is coming this year to your office vending machine. It's a federal effort to help you make healthier snacktime choices.
Under the Affordable Health Care Act, vending machine companies are being required to display the calorie information about their products for the consumer to see.
Eric Cardonick, president of Advanced Services, a vending machine company based in Philadelphia, says it's not yet known just how companies will comply with the law.
"We're hoping that they'll allow the packages to actually be labeled themselves," he tells KYW Newsradio. "Otherwise there's going to be books and pamphlets in the area."
John Diodata, with Morning Start Services, says there are also electronic options for posting calorie counts.
"There's software available to give you the calorie count," he notes. "You just have to add that into the machine. The older type machines will either have to be upgraded, or (we'll) put a sticker up on the machine for each product with the calorie count."
The industry has different ideas on how the law will be implemented, but they do agree that this will affect the price of the snacks you get from the vending machine.
The mandate for the changes and how they must be done is expected to come down in early 2014.
