Beware of Sugar! New York Cafes to Place Warnings on Sweets and Drinks

Next month, chain restaurants and coffee shops across New York City will place warnings on menus and in storefronts about the amount of sugar in their dishes, reports Gothamist.

The new rule comes into effect in October and requires food service establishments with 15 or more outlets nationwide warned customers about any dishes on the menu containing at least 50 grams added Sahara.

Large fines for breaking the law

The city's health department operates under the Sweet Truth Act, which Mayor Eric Adams signed into law last year. Adams is a self-proclaimed "vegetarian." He adopted the diet after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

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The rule requires chains to pay hundreds of dollars in fines if they fail to add new warning labels to their menus. The health department held hearings this summer to discuss the new regulation.

"We want to give people the ability to understand how much sugar they're consuming every day," said the bill's sponsor, City Councilman Keith Powers of Manhattan.

Under the new rule, warning labels along with the spoon icon will be placed on menus or menu boards in chain establishments.

Previous efforts

The new law echoes actions taken by previous administrations. Under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city's health department banned trans fats in all city-wide restaurants, as well as smoking in bars, restaurants and most workplaces.

Under former Mayor Bill de Blasio, the city began placing warnings on menus indicating which items were high in sodium.

"We've seen individual items at chain restaurants exceed the daily recommended intake, so we think New Yorkers should at least have the ability to know what they're consuming every time they go into one of these establishments," Powers said.