Snacks like M&M's, Skittles, and Doritos ‘Not recommended for human consumption' in US? Here's what the Texas Bill proposes
A new legislative move in Texas has ignited nationwide debate as the state's GOP-majority legislature advances a bill requiring warning labels on various processed food products, including popular snacks such as M&M's, Skittles, and Doritos. The proposed labels would declare these items as 'not recommended for human consumption' if they contain additives restricted or banned in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, or the European Union, as per a report by the New York Post.
Bill Targets Controversial Food Additives
Titled
Senate Bill 25
, the measure mandates that beginning in 2027, any food or beverage product sold in Texas containing synthetic dyes, bleached flour, or other controversial ingredients must carry a clearly visible warning label. The label would read:
'WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.'
The legislation is part of a broader initiative supported by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has made food transparency a cornerstone of his 'Make America Healthy Again' campaign. 'We are committed to protecting public health by ensuring families know what's in their food,' Kennedy stated earlier, as mentioned in a report by the New York Post.
Governor's Office Reviewing the Legislation
With the legislative session having concluded on Monday, Governor Greg Abbott now has 20 days to sign or veto the measure. A spokesperson from the Governor's office said that Abbott is carefully examining the implications of the bill. 'Governor Abbott will continue to work with the legislature to ensure Texans have access to healthy foods to care for themselves and their families,' said press secretary Andrew Mahaleris.
If enacted, the bill would require warning labels to be printed at a font size no smaller than the smallest existing FDA-mandated text on packaging. It also calls for the label to be prominently displayed with sufficient contrast for visibility.
Food Industry Pushes Back
The proposed labeling rule has met resistance from major corporations. In a joint letter dated May 19, industry leaders including PepsiCo, Mondelez, Coca-Cola, Conagra Brands, and Walmart urged Texas lawmakers to reconsider the bill, citing its sweeping scope and potential confusion for consumers.
'The food labeling provision in this bill casts an incredibly wide net — triggering warning labels on everyday grocery items based on foreign standards, not on regulations from Texas authorities or the U.S. FDA,' the letter argued.
Walmart, which was among the signatories, issued a statement saying it is closely tracking legislative developments and deferred further comment to the Texas Retailers Association, which also contributed input during bill discussions.
A consultant representing the retail association noted, 'Texas retailers and our members including Walmart worked hard on this bill, made some changes, and we'll see how it develops over the next 20 days.'
Consumer Groups Warn of Confusion and Costs
Industry experts and advocacy groups warn the proposed law could bring unintended consequences. John Hewitt, senior vice president of the Consumer Brands Association, has called for Governor Abbott to veto the measure. 'The ingredients used in the U.S. food supply are safe and have been rigorously evaluated,' Hewitt said. 'This legislation could result in inaccurate warning language, legal risks, and unnecessary alarm among consumers.'
As the state awaits Abbott's decision, the future of household snack names like Skittles, M&M's, and Doritos in Texas grocery aisles remains uncertain. If passed, Texas would become the first U.S. state to mandate such foreign-comparison warning labels on processed foods.
FAQs
What is Senate Bill 25 in Texas?
It's a proposed law that mandates warning labels on foods containing additives banned or restricted in the UK, EU, Canada, or Australia, targeting products like M&M's, Doritos, and Skittles.
What would the warning label say?
The label would read:
'WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
18 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Trump-backed tax bill aims to undo Obama and Biden policy milestones
Chiseling away at President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Rolling back the green energy tax breaks from President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. At its core, the Republican big, beautiful bill is more than just an extension of tax breaks approved during President Donald Trump's first term at the White House. The package is an attempt by Republicans to undo, little by little, the signature domestic achievements of the past two Democratic presidents. We're going to do what we said we were going to do, Speaker Mike Johnson said after House passage last month. While the aim of the sprawling 1,000-page plus bill is to preserve an estimated USD 4.5 trillion in tax cuts that would otherwise expire at year's end if Congress fails to act and add some new ones, including no taxes on tips the spending cuts pointed at the Democratic-led programmes are causing the most political turmoil. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said this week that 10.9 million fewer people would have health insurance under the GOP bill, including 1.4 million immigrants in the US without legal status who are in state-funded programs. At the same time, lawmakers are being hounded by businesses in states across the nation who rely on the green energy tax breaks for their projects. As the package moves from the House to the Senate, the simmering unrest over curbing the Obama and Biden policies shows just how politically difficult it can be to slash government programmes once they become part of civic life. "When he asked me, what do you think the prospects are for passage in the Senate? I said, good if we don't cut Medicaid," said Sen Josh Hawley, R-Mo, recounting his conversation last week with Trump. And he said, I'm 100 per cent supportive of that. Health care worries Not a single Republican in Congress voted for the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, in 2010, or Biden's inflation act in 2022. Both were approved using the same budget reconciliation process now being employed by Republicans to steamroll Trump's bill past the opposition. Even still, sizable coalitions of GOP lawmakers are forming to protect aspects of both of those programs as they ripple into the lives of millions of Americans. Hawley, Sen Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and others are wary of changes to Medicaid and other provisions in the bill that would result in fewer people being able to access health care programs. At the same time, crossover groupings of House and Senate Republicans have launched an aggressive campaign to preserve, at least for some time, the green energy tax breaks that business interests in their states are relying on to develop solar, wind and other types of energy production. Murkowski said one area she's "worried about is the House bill's provision that any project not under construction within 60 days of the bill becoming law may no longer be eligible for those credits. These are some of the things we're working on, she said. The concerns are running in sometimes opposite directions and complicating the work of GOP leaders who have almost no votes to spare in the House and Senate as they try to hoist the package over Democratic opposition and onto the president's desk by the Fourth of July. While some Republicans are working to preserve the programs from cuts, the budget hawks want steeper reductions to stem the nation's debt load. The CBO said the package would add $2.4 trillion to deficits over the decade. After a robust private meeting with Trump at the White House this week, Republican senators said they were working to keep the bill on track as they amend it for their own priorities. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the president made the pitch and the argument for why we need to get the bill done." The disconnect is reminiscent of Trump's first term, when Republicans promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, only to see their effort collapse in dramatic fashion when the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, voted thumbs down for the bill on the House floor. Battle over Medicaid In the 15 years since Obamacare became law, access to health care has grown substantially. Some 80 million people are now enrolled in Medicaid, and the Kaiser Family Foundation reports 41 states have opted to expand their coverage. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid to all adults with incomes up to about USD 21,500 for an individual, or almost USD 29,000 for a two-person household. While Republicans no longer campaign on ending Obamacare, advocates warn that the changes proposed in the big bill will trim back at access to health care. The bill proposes new 80 hours of monthly work or community service requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients, age 18 to 64, with some exceptions. It also imposes twice-a-year eligibility verification checks and other changes. Republicans argue that they want to right-size Medicaid to root out waste, fraud and abuse and ensure it's there for those who need it most, often citing women and children. Medicaid was built to be a temporary safety net for people who genuinely need it young, pregnant women, single mothers, the disabled, the elderly, Johnson told The Associated Press. But when when they expanded under Obamacare, it not only thwarted the purpose of the program, it started draining resources. Initially, the House bill proposed starting the work requirements in January 2029, as Trump's term in the White House would be coming to a close. But conservatives from the House Freedom Caucus negotiated for a quicker start date, in December 2026, to start the spending reductions sooner. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has said the changes are an Obamacare rollback by another name. It decimates our health care system, decimates our clean energy system, Schumer of New York said in an interview with the AP. The green energy tax breaks involve not only those used by buyers of electric vehicles, like Elon Musk's Tesla line, but also the production and investment tax credits for developers of renewables and other energy sources. The House bill had initially proposed a phaseout of those credits over the next several years. But again the conservative Freedom Caucus engineered the faster wind-down within 60 days of the bill's passage. Not a single Republican voted for the Green New Scam subsidies, wrote Sen Mike Lee, R-Utah, on social media. Not a single Republican should vote to keep them.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
France's president will visit Greenland in a show of EU unity, Danish leader says
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Greenland next weekend, the Danish prime minister's office said Saturday — a visit by a high-profile European Union leader in the wake of U.S. expressions of interest in taking over the mineral-rich Arctic island. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the French leader said they will meet in the semiautonomous Danish territory on June 15, hosted by Greenland's new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen. The visit by Macron, whose nuclear-armed country has one of the EU's strongest militaries, comes as U.S. President Donald Trump hasn't ruled out using force to carry out his desire for the resource-rich and strategically located island to become part of the United States. While the issue of U.S. interest in Greenland has drifted from the headlines in recent weeks, Nielsen said in late April that such comments by U.S. leaders have been disrespectful and that Greenland will never be 'a piece of property' that anyone can buy. In the statement Saturday, Frederiksen acknowledged the 'difficult foreign policy situation in recent months' but praised 'great international support' for Greenland and Denmark. 'President Macron's upcoming visit to Greenland is yet another concrete testament to European unity,' she said, alluding to the membership of France and Denmark in the 27-member-country EU. The three leaders were expected to discuss security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as issues of economic development, climate change and energy during the visit, her office said.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Trump's big bill also seeks to undo the big bills of Biden and Obama
Chiseling away at President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Rolling back the green energy tax breaks from President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. At its core, the Republican "big, beautiful bill" is more than just an extension of tax breaks approved during President Donald Trump 's first term at the White House . The package is an attempt by Republicans to undo, little by little, the signature domestic achievements of the past two Democratic presidents. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Earn more with tax savings ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Learn More Undo "We're going to do what we said we were going to do," Speaker Mike Johnson said after House passage last month. While the aim of the sprawling 1,000-page plus bill is to preserve an estimated $4.5 trillion in tax cuts that would otherwise expire at year's end if Congress fails to act - and add some new ones, including no taxes on tips - the spending cuts pointed at the Democratic-led programs are causing the most political turmoil. Live Events The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said this week that 10.9 million fewer people would have health insurance under the GOP bill, including 1.4 million immigrants in the U.S. without legal status who are in state-funded programs. At the same time, lawmakers are being hounded by businesses in states across the nation who rely on the green energy tax breaks for their projects. As the package moves from the House to the Senate , the simmering unrest over curbing the Obama and Biden policies shows just how politically difficult it can be to slash government programs once they become part of civic life. "When he asked me, what do you think the prospects are for passage in the Senate? I said, good - if we don't cut Medicaid ," said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., recounting his conversation last week with Trump. "And he said, I'm 100% supportive of that." Health care worries Not a single Republican in Congress voted for the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare , in 2010, or Biden's inflation act in 2022. Both were approved using the same budget reconciliation process now being employed by Republicans to steamroll Trump's bill past the opposition. Even still, sizable coalitions of GOP lawmakers are forming to protect aspects of both of those programs as they ripple into the lives of millions of Americans. Hawley, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and others are wary of changes to Medicaid and other provisions in the bill that would result in fewer people being able to access health care programs. At the same time, crossover groupings of House and Senate Republicans have launched an aggressive campaign to preserve, at least for some time, the green energy tax breaks that business interests in their states are relying on to develop solar, wind and other types of energy production. Murkowski said one area she's "worried about" is the House bill's provision that any project not under construction within 60 days of the bill becoming law may no longer be eligible for those credits. "These are some of the things we're working on," she said. The concerns are running in sometimes opposite directions and complicating the work of GOP leaders who have almost no votes to spare in the House and Senate as they try to hoist the package over Democratic opposition and onto the president's desk by the Fourth of July. While some Republicans are working to preserve the programs from cuts, the budget hawks want steeper reductions to stem the nation's debt load. The CBO said the package would add $2.4 trillion to deficits over the decade. After a robust private meeting with Trump at the White House this week, Republican senators said they were working to keep the bill on track as they amend it for their own priorities. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the president "made the pitch and the argument for why we need to get the bill done." The disconnect is reminiscent of Trump's first term, when Republicans promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, only to see their effort collapse in dramatic fashion when the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, voted thumbs down for the bill on the House floor. Battle over Medicaid In the 15 years since Obamacare became law, access to health care has grown substantially. Some 80 million people are now enrolled in Medicaid, and the Kaiser Family Foundation reports 41 states have opted to expand their coverage. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid to all adults with incomes up to about $21,500 for an individual, or almost $29,000 for a two-person household. While Republicans no longer campaign on ending Obamacare, advocates warn that the changes proposed in the big bill will trim back at access to health care. The bill proposes new 80 hours of monthly work or community service requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients, age 18 to 64, with some exceptions. It also imposes twice-a-year eligibility verification checks and other changes. Republicans argue that they want to right-size Medicaid to root out waste, fraud and abuse and ensure it's there for those who need it most, often citing women and children. "Medicaid was built to be a temporary safety net for people who genuinely need it - young, pregnant women, single mothers, the disabled, the elderly," Johnson told The Associated Press. "But when when they expanded under Obamacare, it not only thwarted the purpose of the program, it started draining resources." Initially, the House bill proposed starting the work requirements in January 2029, as Trump's term in the White House would be coming to a close. But conservatives from the House Freedom Caucus negotiated for a quicker start date, in December 2026, to start the spending reductions sooner. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has said the changes are an Obamacare rollback by another name. "It decimates our health care system, decimates our clean energy system," Schumer of New York said in an interview with the AP. The green energy tax breaks involve not only those used by buyers of electric vehicles, like Elon Musk's Tesla line, but also the production and investment tax credits for developers of renewables and other energy sources. The House bill had initially proposed a phaseout of those credits over the next several years. But again the conservative Freedom Caucus engineered the faster wind-down - within 60 days of the bill's passage. "Not a single Republican voted for the Green New Scam subsidies," wrote Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on social media. "Not a single Republican should vote to keep them." "REPEAL THE GREEN NEW SCAM!" reposted Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a Freedom Caucus leader.
