After facing increasing pressure to produce healthier or lower-sugar drinks to help reduce obesity, soda companies will soon list nutrition information and calorie counts on its vending machines. The vending machines will display calorie counts on the buttons to a select drink, as well as phrases, such as “Calories Count: Check Then Choose,” and they will offer more low- or zero-calorie options.
Before launching nationally, the new vending machines will appear in Chicago and San Antonio municipal buildings in 2013. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel told soda companies on Monday that he doesn’t plan on imposing a tax or a ban on beverages the way New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg banned the sale of sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces.
