Suing McDonald's

[Urbane]

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest is suing McDonald's in the US because of the toys in Happy Meals. Some parents apparently find it very difficult to say no to their kids :

A consumer protection group filed a class-action suit against McDonald's Wednesday morning, claiming the toys included in Happy Meals bait and induce children to develop a preference for nutritionally poor foods.

Three-year-old Henry Tonts of Hayward, Calif., eats french fries from his Happy Meal at a McDonald's restaurant in San Francisco. A consumer group is suing McDonald's, saying Happy Meals bait and induce kids to beg their parents to eat there.Three-year-old Henry Tonts of Hayward, Calif., eats french fries from his Happy Meal at a McDonald's restaurant in San Francisco. A consumer group is suing McDonald's, saying Happy Meals bait and induce kids to beg their parents to eat there. (Eric Risberg/Associated Press)The suit was filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest on behalf of Monet Parham of Sacramento, Calif., and her six-year-old daughter Maya.

"McDonald's exploits very young California children and harms their health by advertising unhealthy happy meals with toys directly to them," the suit states.

"Children eight years-old and younger do not have the cognitive skills and the developmental maturity to understand the persuasive intent of marketing and advertising," the suit continues, "Thus, McDonald's advertising featuring toys to bait children violates California law because it is inherently deceptive and unfair."

The lawsuit contains allegations not proven in court. McDonald's has not replied to the lawsuit, nor returned calls to CBC News.

'I am very concerned about the health of my children.'—Monet Parham, mother suing McDonald's

The case will be heard in San Francisco, which recently passed a local ordinance setting nutritional standards for children's meals sold with toys.

"I am very concerned about the health of my children and feel that McDonald's should be a very limited part of their diet and their childhood experience," explained Parham.
P.O.V.:

Would you support a ban on toy giveaways in kids’ meals unless they meet healthier nutritional guidelines? Take our survey.

She said she's bringing the suit because her daughter insists on going to McDonald's to get toys based on Barbie, I-Carly, Shrek or Strawberry Shortcake.

"As other busy, working moms and dads know, we have to say 'no' to our young children so many times, and McDonald's makes it so much harder to do."
McDonald's intent is to 'subvert parental authority'

The suit states that: "Internal McDonald's documents prove its intent to subvert parental authority."

A Happy Meal is shown at a McDonald's restaurant in San Francisco. In the foreground is a character toy included with the meal from the movie Megamind. A Happy Meal is shown at a McDonald's restaurant in San Francisco. In the foreground is a character toy included with the meal from the movie Megamind. (Eric Risberg/Associated Press)One such document quotes Martin Lindstrom — who advises McDonald's on branding and marketing — stating in a presentation that McDonald's "gets into the parents' wallets via the kids' minds."

According to another document, former McDonald's CEO Roy Bergold described the restaurant's strategy in a magazine article as "go after the kids."

"Ray Kroc [McDonald's founder] said that if you had $1 to spend on marketing, spend it on kids. Why? Because they can't get to the restaurant by themselves and they eat a lot."

Bergold also told the magazine that kids are a lot more tempted by the toys than the food.

"What kids see as a fun toy, I now realize is a sophisticated, high-tech marketing scheme that's designed to put McDonald's between me and my daughters," Parham said, "I want McDonald's to stop interfering with my family."

The Center for Science in the Public Interest says most McDonald's Happy Meals contain more calories and sodium than is healthy for a child.

"McDonald's offerings consist mostly of fatty meat, fatty cheese, French fries, white flour, and sugar — a narrow combination of foods that promotes weight gain, obesity, diabetes and heart disease — and may lead to a lifetime of poor diets."


Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2010/1 ... z18D3RUfnR

[xjeepguy]

Makes you wonder who is in charge ? The 3 year olds or the parents ? You just don't feed 3 year old kids McShit food , period !

[strwbrrydvl]

'I am very concerned about the health of my children.'—Monet Parham, mother suing McDonald's

Then don't buy them happy meals.. Seems simple enough The kids aren't the ones with the bankcard and the vehicle to whip through the drive-thru now are they?

[Bagotricks]

A leaked marketing document from internal McDonalds sources showed that their main focus is on creating "cradle to coffin" customers. CRADLE TO COFFIN.

Their advertising is targeting children before they even know how to talk. Getting the kids to scream from the back of the car that they want McDonalds - even though they dont know why they want McDonalds - is the focus.

Do people know that "brand names" are slowly being replaced by "mom/dad/ball" as childrens first words? My cousins babies first word was "Mcdonalds". This is a common trend.

Whats the difference between normal advertising and concise, targeted manipulation and deception? Who is regulating ad's? Where are the standards? What are the standards? Are babies legitimate target consumers? Should we ALLOW companies to start brainwashing babies before they can speak?

There is growing awareness about how much money, time and effort - and the lengths companies are going to to get your dollars. Right now people are being paid millions of dollars, with 10's of millions of dollars for budgets, trying to figure out how to make your child want McDonalds before they even know how to speak. That is sickening, and scary.

I dont think its "all" on the parents hands here...

[wthwyt]

A leaked marketing document from internal McDonalds sources showed that their main focus is on creating "cradle to coffin" customers. CRADLE TO COFFIN.

Their advertising is targeting children before they even know how to talk. Getting the kids to scream from the back of the car that they want McDonalds - even though they dont know why they want McDonalds - is the focus.

Do people know that "brand names" are slowly being replaced by "mom/dad/ball" as childrens first words? My cousins babies first word was "Mcdonalds". This is a common trend.

Whats the difference between normal advertising and concise, targeted manipulation and deception? Who is regulating ad's? Where are the standards? What are the standards? Are babies legitimate target consumers? Should we ALLOW companies to start brainwashing babies before they can speak?

There is growing awareness about how much money, time and effort - and the lengths companies are going to to get your dollars. Right now people are being paid millions of dollars, with 10's of millions of dollars for budgets, trying to figure out how to make your child want McDonalds before they even know how to speak. That is sickening, and scary.

I dont think its "all" on the parents hands here...

If you eat any fast food on a regular bases be prepared to be in a coffin. It's not if its when.

[Bsuds]

If you eat any fast food on a regular bases be prepared to be in a coffin. It's not if its when.

We will all end up there sooner or later!

[wthwyt]

If you eat any fast food on a regular bases be prepared to be in a coffin. It's not if its when.

We will all end up there sooner or later!

If you eat this crap it makes your trip threw life just that much quicker. Unless that what you're looking for then go nuts, there are faster ways.

[Urbane]

A steady diet of fast food would show poor judgment in my opinion but at what point do we stop people from making judgments and allow the government to make the judgments for them? Where do we draw the line? How about cereals that may or may not be good for you that offer little prizes inside the box? How about Crackerjack?

Staying active is good for you so how about a law that everyone has to exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week? Maybe surveillance cameras could be installed for verification purposes. Nah, count me out. I do the exercise and I'm very careful what I eat but I don't need the government sticking its nose in. Those in government should go back to doing what they do best . . . whatever that is.

[wthwyt]

A steady diet of fast food would show poor judgment in my opinion but at what point do we stop people from making judgments and allow the government to make the judgments for them? Where do we draw the line? How about cereals that may or may not be good for you that offer little prizes inside the box? How about Crackerjack?

Staying active is good for you so how about a law that everyone has to exercise for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week? Maybe surveillance cameras could be installed for verification purposes. Nah, count me out. I do the exercise and I'm very careful what I eat but I don't need the government sticking its nose in. Those in government should go back to doing what they do best . . . whatever that is.

Who wants the government involved everything they touch is F-up. You are what you eat.

[MineralDoc]

[quote="Bagotricks"]A leaked marketing document from internal McDonalds sources showed that their main focus is on creating "cradle to coffin" customers. CRADLE TO COFFIN.

Their advertising is targeting children before they even know how to talk. Getting the kids to scream from the back of the car that they want McDonalds - even though they dont know why they want McDonalds - is the focus.

Do people know that "brand names" are slowly being replaced by "mom/dad/ball" as childrens first words? My cousins babies first word was "Mcdonalds". This is a common trend. The baby's 1st word was a four syllable word? Before mom, dad, no???? Is this baby plunked down in front of the TV with nothing but McDonald's commercials for ever waking hour of the day?

Whats the difference between normal advertising and concise, targeted manipulation and deception? Who is regulating ad's? Where are the standards? What are the standards? Who do you expect to decide what is right? Are babies legitimate target consumers? You give way too much credit to the ability of the baby to form an opinion. Should we ALLOW companies to start brainwashing babies Babies typically only want/need milk. That is the only think their digestive systems can handle. before they can speak? I have no doubt that the fast food chains do attract the attention of the young. That is why they only use bright, primary colours and simple mascots for their advertising. (The same can be said about cigarette manufactures, up until recently). "Marlboro" man is the first that comes to mind.

There is growing awareness about how much money, time and effort - and the lengths companies are going to to get your dollars. Right now people are being paid millions of dollars, with 10's of millions of dollars for budgets, trying to figure out how to make your child want McDonalds before they even know how to speak. That is sickening, and scary.

I dont think its "all" on the parents hands here...But it is "all" about the parents here. They are the ones that decide as to what, when, where, who and how their baby is exposed to any/everything in this world.[/quote]

If a parent wants to break the child's desire to eat food that is not good for them, they could take them to McD's and give them a salad, or milk, or a fish sandwich, give them water in place of a milkshake or pop. They could dump vinegar on their fries to prove to them that it's not as good as it is "cracked" up to be. Who in their right mind would give a baby McD's?

[grammafreddy]

Stupid irresponsible parents. Geezuz.

[steven lloyd]

Those in government should go back to doing what they do best . . . whatever that is.

[Captain Awesome]

My cousins babies first word was "Mcdonalds". This is a common trend.

Yes, for parents that let that happen.

Stop blaming corporations, start blaming parents.

[goalie]

I hope they go bankrupt but I don't see how much she is suing for

[cooldude]

Only in America!