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Food Industry Challenges Texas Law Requiring Warning Labels for Ingredients
Dive Brief:
- A coalition of food and beverage industry groups, including Kraft Heinz and Coca-Cola, has filed a lawsuit against Texas to overturn a state law mandating warning labels for artificial dyes and other ingredients. They argue that the disclosure would mislead consumers.
- The groups claim that the law infringes on their First Amendment rights by forcing them to convey the government’s viewpoint on their products.
- The law, set to take effect in January 2027, requires companies to disclose 44 ingredients deemed “not recommended for human consumption” in other countries.
Dive Insight:
The lawsuit marks a significant pushback from the food industry against the Make America Healthy Again movement. Food companies argue that ingredients like artificial dyes have undergone rigorous safety testing in the U.S. and that additional labels could confuse consumers and increase costs.
Furthermore, the lawsuit challenges the vagueness of the Texas law and its interference with federal ingredient regulations. It also questions the law’s impact on free speech, as companies would be compelled to include government-mandated disclosures.
This legal action comes in the wake of similar challenges, such as the lawsuit against a West Virginia law banning artificial colors. Major industry players are now publicly opposing state ingredient bans, urging the FDA to establish a national standard instead.
Plaintiffs in the case include the American Beverage Association, the Consumer Brands Association, and the National Confectioners Association, representing a wide range of food and beverage makers.
With more states considering legislation targeting certain ingredients, the food industry may increasingly turn to the courts for relief in the absence of federal intervention.