On Tuesday, New York City’s first-of-its-kind law on salt labeling went into effect. Two days later, the National Restaurant Association announced a lawsuit against the city, reportsAssociated Press.
The restaurant organization argues that the city’s health regulators have overstepped their bounds and that instead of helping consumers make healthier choices, the new labeling requirements—that salt shaker icons be placed on menu items that have more than the recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium—will be confusing.
“Ironically, this regulation will confuse and mislead consumers into potentially making less healthy food choices through the law’s spotty, inconsistent application and inaccurate scientific distortions,” says a copy of the suit, acquired by the AP.
The suit also calls the the laws “nonsensical” because it applies only to some food vendors. The restaurants required to comply are the New York outposts of chain restaurants that have at least 15 U.S. locations. These chains account for about one-third of restaurant traffic in the city.
Finally, the restaurant group argues that the regulations violate restaurateurs’ rights to free speech by forcing them to post a warning that is based on “scientifically controversial opinion,” reports the AP.