Day 299 - 13 Nov 96 - Page 43


     
     1        not allowed to be used -- although we heard in one advert
     2        that McDonald's had managed to achieve exactly the same
     3        sound by using voices sounding like a race track; but
     4        another way of blatant disregard of the spirit of the ITC
     5        Code, which ITC let them get away with.  The point I am
     6        making is that the restrictions on the toys are recognising
     7        that the toys do have a dramatic effect.  This is the
     8        statutory body recognising that the use of toys is a very
     9        powerful incentive for children to want to buy what is
    10        actually the real product, which is the food.
    11
    12        I think we heard that the use of toys in advertising for
    13        promoting a food product is banned in Denmark.  It may be
    14        banned in other countries.  But it is an example of this
    15        being a recognised public issue.
    16
    17        I think we have touched upon it, but if I can just -- it
    18        did come over in passing, that the added fat, salt and
    19        sugar and high fat and sugar content of a McDonald's type
    20        of food is part of the dressing up of poor quality food and
    21        making it more attractive, which kinds of relates to the
    22        advertising section, but not centrally.
    23
    24   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   When you say added fat, you mean because it
    25        is cooked -----
    26
    27   MR. MORRIS:   It is high in fat.  But do not forget that
    28        McDonald's choose their fat levels of their food.  It is
    29        cooked in fat as well.  Well, the burgers are not, but the
    30        McNuggets are, and the chips obviously are -- and the
    31        pies.  But, also, the fat levels in the burgers are set at
    32        very specific level.
    33
    34   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I know that, and they keep to that level.
    35        But did I have any evidence that the end result is more fat
    36        than would otherwise be?   It is just that the phrase
    37        "added fat" has been used on occasions; and, apart from
    38        the -----
    39
    40   MR. MORRIS:   It is very fatty food.
    41
    42   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   I know.  If you had said "high fat", I would
    43        not have interrupted.
    44
    45   MR. MORRIS:   I think they have chosen to cook their products in
    46        fat and they have chosen to have high levels of fat in
    47        products which could have any level of fat -- not any level
    48        of fat, but could have lower levels of fat -- and they add
    49        fat, oil, to sauces, and we have heard how their salads
    50        have a high fat content because of the dressings -- the
    51        point being that, anyway, whatever the specifics of each of
    52        these, what we have looked at in the nutrition section
    53        about this can relate to the issue about the dressing up of
    54        low quality food.  That is what I wanted to say.  It is not
    55        just the packaging; it is not just the gimmicks.
    56
    57        Something which we did not mention, which is that the
    58        counterclaim against the press release says, after saying
    59        that the leaflet is a load of lies: "The leaflet states
    60        that McDonald's aims most of its advertising at children."

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