Day 292 - 01 Nov 96 - Page 53
1 in this case, and the business practice of it, whether they
2 are franchisees or joint venture partnerships or
3 subsidiaries.
4
5 But, on top of that, it seems (as we would claim anyway)
6 that McDonald's system is so centralised and so unified
7 that, in fact, headquarters is responsible ultimately for
8 everything that goes on. He said that they were
9 responsible for the packaging decisions in Europe,
10 although, presumably, there is leeway of some kind.
11
12 On page 35, he said he had never looked into reusables in
13 the UK. So he cannot give any useful evidence on that.
14 Not only that, that publications of McDonald's -- I just
15 think it is a complete non-issue, the reusables issue, in
16 terms of their claims that reusables are also damaging to
17 the environment. The point is, anyway, that the packaging
18 is damaging to the environment, and that is what we are
19 concerned with.
20
21 Then he said, on page 36, that packaging is not damaging to
22 the environment. I have drawn the conclusion: so when
23 McDonald's say something is not damaging, it is meaningless
24 propaganda; i.e., that even after all this evidence is put
25 before them, even their own admissions, if they are still
26 willing to say publicly that something is not damaging,
27 then it is clear that their instincts and drive is to deny
28 the truth.
29
30 Then he said, in page 38, that paper in landfills causes
31 chemical seepage and methane.
32
33 That is basically it, really. There was nothing on day 64
34 that I can find of relevance on packaging. If I do any
35 more notes, I will try and make them a bit neater.
36
37 MR JUSTICE BELL: Well, it is helpful to have them. How do you
38 think you are getting on with recycling and waste?
39
40 MR. MORRIS: Well, a lot of it depends on the work I am able to
41 do over the weekend. But I think the notes from
42 Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Mallinson, I will not need to go
43 through every reference, because they are clear; they are
44 typed up, so they are clear.
45
46 MR JUSTICE BELL: I will read the rest of this, anyway, over the
47 weekend.
48
49 MR. MORRIS: Right. So I will try and do my best to get as
50 much done as possible for Monday.
51
52 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Aim to finish it on Monday, because I would
53 like to see how you go. 10.30 on Monday morning.
54
55 (The Court Adjourned)
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