Assembly Bill 765 would impose government control over what grocery stores can and cannot sell in and around store checkout lanes. Not only does the measure ban the sale of certain types of beverages in specific areas of grocery stores, but AB 765 also prescribes exactly what may be sold in specific areas of stores.
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- AB 765 tells supermarkets, convenience stores
and other retail outlets what beverages they are allowed to sell at the checkout counter, putting bureaucrats in charge of store merchandising. - The approved list of beverages is arbitrary and fails to account for the high sugar contents of fruit juice.
- The bill undermines consumer choice by seeking to control what products shoppers are exposed to.
- This measure creates the potential for a slippery slope as legislators reacts to what are often subjective, trend-based and contradictory health standards.
An unnecessary intervention
Many grocery stores are already adjusting their business practices to ensure new, lower-calorie and small-portion choices are available to shoppers in all neighborhoods. Some companies are even offering incentives to try a product and continue use, without a punitive law to force them.