Day 297 - 08 Nov 96 - Page 36
1
2 Professor Crawford, whilst he was referring to a nutrition
3 study of school children, said that he considered that the
4 results of that study were disturbing because it suggested
5 that children were responding to media pressures and that a
6 disproportionate amount of their energy was coming from the
7 sector of food groups which are the least nourishing. That
8 was on day 31, page 41.
9
10 He said he believed that the quantitative force of the
11 large number of fast food outlets, obviously including
12 McDonald's, is having an impact on the way people perceive
13 and behave with regard to food. That was day 31, page 43.
14
15 Dr. Lobstein referred to some figures, which I think are
16 quite old, indicating that the figure spent on promotions
17 and advertising by McDonald's in the UK had risen from
18 about £2.5 million per annum in 1981/1982 to over £10
19 million in 1986/1987. He said that this gave rise to
20 considerable concern at what appeared to be a massive rise
21 in the prevalence of promotion and facilities for fast
22 food. That was on day 32, page 11.
23
24 Just on the point that we were on a moment ago, a Ministry
25 of Agriculture Fisheries and Food survey which was referred
26 to by Dr. Lobstein showed that half of the respondents
27 would like more information about ingredients and the
28 majority would like the information to come from food
29 labels. That was on day 32, page 30.
30
31 Dr. Lobstein considered that a company which offered, in
32 its own words, a "nutritious" meal should take responsible
33 for the quality of the nutrition provided. That was on day
34 32, page 34. He believed that McDonald's were trying to
35 promote the image of balanced meals made from nutritious
36 ingredients. That was day 32, page 35.
37
38 He referred to the paper from the British Nutrition
39 Foundation and -----
40
41 MR. JUSTICE BELL: From the?
42
43 MS. STEEL: British Nutrition Foundation briefing paper and
44 agreed that if pre-packaged and cooked products are used
45 and relied upon for nutrition, the producer must accept a
46 responsibility to ensure a nutritionally desirable balance
47 in the meals. That was day 32, page 36.
48
49 And just some simple changes which could be considered, for
50 example, having chunkier chips which would decrease the
51 amount of fat per portion. He said that there was
52 absolutely no indication that they were being considered
53 and that was, you know, a simple thing that a company such
54 as McDonald's could do. That was on day 32, page 37.
55
56 Dr. Lobstein considered that it was misleading for
57 McDonald's to say that they used basic products because
58 they increased the fat, sugar and salt content by taking
59 the so-called basic products and then the processes by
60 which they prepared them and sold them. That was on day
