Retailers must deal with a wide range of regulations — from zoning laws that restrict hours of operation to minimum wage laws to price advertising laws. Many times, the rules are clear and other times they are not. And chains typically face different regulations in different locales.

On March 12, a New York City law on beverage sizes is scheduled to go into effect (although various lawsuits opposing the regulation are pending). Enactment of this law promises to be quite confusing.

As reported by Vivian Yee and Michael M. Grynbaum for the New York Times: “Come Tuesday, when Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s ban on the sale of large sugary drinks goes into effect after months of public debate over the measure, its impact on beverages like soda will be clear: no more jumbo colas. But coffee drinkers, and those who pour them, are likely to face a thicket of complications as varied as the lattes, macchiatos and Americanos on a Starbucks menu. Customers at Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s can expect to add their own sugar packets and flavor swirls to large and larger coffees. At other cafes, some will be given one lump, or perhaps two, in their coffees; those seeking more will need to visit the condiment stand. Dunkin’ Donuts has tried to get ahead of the confusion over the new regulations by handing out small fliers at its cash registers.”

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