Day 255 - 23 May 96 - Page 23
1 of people who believed that McDonald's were not concerned.
2 What we were concerned about was putting the matter
3 straight, that we were not concerned in the destruction of
4 rainforests.
5
6 Q. If it was only a few people who were believing it anyway,
7 presumably you would not have bothered taking all this
8 action?
9 A. We took action because your leaflet was getting a
10 worldwide distribution and we were concerned.
11
12 Q. But if people had not believed it, you would not have been
13 bothered?
14
15 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Well, the trouble is in modern society that
16 some people believe that saying it so makes it so.
17
18 MS. STEEL: The point I am trying to get at is it was a
19 widespread belief; it was not just like ----
20
21 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Did you think it was a generally widespread
22 belief? You said you think some people believed it but
23 some people did not?
24 A. This is absolutely right, my Lord.
25
26 Q. And you wanted to put the record straight. Did you think
27 it was widespread at this time?
28 A. No. I think that the leaflet itself had become
29 widespread and our customers and our employees and our
30 franchisees were showing concern about it.
31
32 MS. STEEL: Because they thought it might be true?
33 A. No. They wanted the matter put straight. They knew it
34 was not true.
35
36 Q. How would they have known it was not true?
37 A. Because they believed it. They believed in what we
38 told them.
39
40 Q. Right.
41
42 MR. MORRIS: People should not just believe what they are told
43 though, should they? Is that what you are saying?
44 A. I am not saying people should believe what they are
45 told. People make their own judgment.
46
47 Q. Exactly, yes.
48
49 MS. STEEL: Did you get many letters from customers saying that
50 they were not going to eat there anymore because they ----
51 A. Not many. We got some.
52
53 Q. You got some?
54 A. Yes.
55
56 Q. Not many though?
57 A. I do not think so.
58
59 Q. Right, so it was not really affecting your business?
60 A. Yes, it was affecting our business. It was affecting
