Toledo restaurants soon may be required to replace sugary drinks on their children’s menus with healthier options such as water, low-fat milk, or 100 percent juice.
That’s if an ordinance proposed Thursday by Councilman Tiffany Preston Whitman is approved. It’s called the default beverage ordinance and it would require restaurants to limit drinks presented with kids’ meals to healthy options in an effort to combat obesity and curb its associated health risks, including diabetes.
Customers still would be able to order soda pop or other sugary beverages for children under the ordinance, but those would not be the default options presented on the menu.
Ms. Preston Whitman said Toledo needs public-health policies like this one to protect future generations, particularly those in low-income and moderate-income communities, as well as in African American communities, because of their higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
“As much as we work to make sure that we are a city that’s labor-friendly, as much as we work hard to make sure we’re business-friendly, we also have to build a culture of health, specifically prioritizing public health,” she said during the Neighborhoods, Community Development, and Health Committee meeting Thursday. “Public health is science. It is not theater. It is not to be trivialized.”
Tim Lewis, director of community impact for the American Heart Association, spoke in support of the ordinance. He noted such policies have already been implemented in Cleveland and Columbus and said the intent is to make healthy choices easy choices.
“The policy is meant to support families looking for healthy options, not an attempt to legislate restaurants. Restaurants can choose which healthy beverage options they include with the children’s meal, and parents can still choose to order whatever drink they’d like for their child off the menu,” he said.
Toledo-Lucas County Health Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski also offered support. In a letter to Ms. Preston Whitman, he said the health board recommends city council adopt her proposal.
“This ordinance supports the mission of the Board to improve the health of all individuals, and especially Lucas County children by promoting healthier choices for a healthier life,” he wrote.
A Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce spokesman said Thursday the organization had not yet taken a position on the matter but was working to gather additional information. Local restaurant operators also said they need to learn more about the proposal.
Rob Armstrong, chief executive officer of Bennett Enterprises that owns local Big Boy and Ralphie's Sports Eatery restaurants, told The Blade he had no strong opinion on the legislation itself, but the implementation and enforcement worried him.
“What we would prefer is to see such legislation be by the state rather than individual municipalities. When you have the individual municipalities you end up with a hodgepodge of laws,” he said. “The best historical example of this goes back about 20 years when various anti-smoking regulations were being introduced affecting restaurant operations.”
Jimmy Harmon, CEO of Bennett Management Corp., which owns northwest Ohio Burger King restaurants and Tony Packo's restaurants, said the restaurant industry is highly regulated and used to adapting to new rules. But he is hopeful that should this be implemented, it’s done in a way that balances the government’s interests with the needs of business owners.
“I think restaurants that serve families need to be concerned,” he said, adding that he’ll need to learn exactly what beverage options will be allowed and what won’t so he can make any needed adjustments.
Tod Bowen, managing director of external affairs and government relations for the Ohio Restaurant Association, said during Thursday’s meeting the association has long encouraged restaurants to have healthy options across the board.
He did not oppose the legislation but said Toledo must work with restaurants and beverage suppliers to ensure such a law’s implementation doesn’t disrupt industry supply chains.
Kimberly McConville, the executive director of the Ohio Beverage Association advocating for Ohio’s nonalcoholic beverage industry, spoke in favor of the ordinance and said she had worked collaboratively with Cleveland officials to craft the state’s first such law.
“I find that Toledo is a very business-friendly city, and I am happy that our voice was heard on this,” she said.
Toledo City Council could vote on Ms. Preston Whitman’s proposal as soon as April 13.
First Published April 1, 2021, 9:47 p.m.
