Day 284 - 22 Oct 96 - Page 29
1 stick up a flag when I think that may have happened, to
2 mention it.
3
4 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, I think it would be tidier if you do it
5 at the beginning or end of a session.
6
7 MR. RAMPTON: I will, just as I have done.
8
9 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, Mr. Morris?
10
11 MR. MORRIS: If I just point out it does not say that McDonald's
12 used vast areas of Central American ---
13
14 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am not taking that as argument by
15 Mr. Rampton.
16
17 MR. MORRIS: It says many US corporations use --
18
19 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It was just an attempt to straighten out a
20 principle. Yes, you got down to the question of argument
21 as to whether fast food packaging materials referred to
22 McDonald's and you have given me your argument on that.
23
24 MR. MORRIS: Right. I just wanted to say one thing on that
25 last subject. I don't think it relates to McDonald's, but
26 if it was thought it did relate to the earlier part, it
27 would relate to the many US corporations issue, so (a) it
28 would be related to a direct collective process, but also
29 it would relate to the general demand for fast food
30 packaging materials which McDonald's, as the largest fast
31 food company in the world and because of their use of
32 significant amounts of packaging, as an example to others,
33 would be setting a standard for others to copy and follow
34 and emulate.
35
36 So in terms of meaning, if it was to relate to earlier on,
37 the same arguments over the global demand and promotion of
38 such food and the packaging it comes in, would relate to
39 McDonald's in the same way as the destruction of Central
40 American forests. It was not considered to be, or we did
41 not consider it to be an issue in the case, but common
42 sense would surely apply and the meaning would certainly
43 apply, but it is a collective responsibility, not only in a
44 direct way such as that sentence indicates that destruction
45 of forest may be both a direct and indirect responsibility
46 of an industry, of which McDonald's is part. And the same
47 would apply to the packaging, if that is what you decide
48 the meaning is.
49
50 If I can just refer to a few bits and pieces in
51 Mr. Rampton's opening speech, not because it is necessarily
52 the best place to do it, but because I have it in front of
53 me, to get it out the way. It is just he does mention soya
54 on page 49. The leaflet says the plaintiffs also have an
55 indirect responsibility for destruction of rainforests and
56 for the creation of hunger and poverty of third world
57 countries because they encourage the people of those
58 countries to use the land and grow the grain for cattle.
59 He then goes on to say: Which the plaintiffs then import
60 to the USA to make into hamburgers. So that issue is dealt
