Day 247 - 10 May 96 - Page 51


     
     1        there any reason why, in the UK, you have not changed to
     2        the environmentally preferable paper wraps?
     3        A.  I do not agree that it is.
     4
     5   MR. JUSTICE BELL: No.  Do you not remember, you were making a
     6        point several months ago that the USA said that paper was
     7        better environmentally rather than UK was saying
     8        polystyrene was, and it sounds as though Australia sides
     9        with the USA.  Whether that is inconsistency on the part of
    10        the Corporation or because different conditions prevail in
    11        different countries I do not know.
    12
    13   MR. MORRIS:  Is it generally the policy of McDonald's that
    14        whatever they happen to be doing happens to coincide in the
    15        PR relations as the most environmentally preferable and,
    16        therefore, it can be completely contradictory from what one
    17        country is doing to what another country is doing?
    18        A.  I think his Lordship just touched on the thing a few
    19        seconds ago.  The market conditions, situations in
    20        Australia, situations up in Norway, situations in the
    21        United States, are all quite different and we have to
    22        respond to those local needs and requirements and rules and
    23        regulations in each of the nations where we trade, and we
    24        do just that.
    25
    26   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What is being put to you is that, regardless
    27        of the facts underneath, perceptions are different.  So,
    28        regardless of what the facts are it might be perceived by
    29        the average American that polystyrene does more harm than
    30        paper?
    31        A.  It is true.
    32
    33   Q.   And it in this country it might be perceived that paper
    34        does more harm than polystyrene, and what Mr. Morris is
    35        putting to you is that you go by the perception rather than
    36        what is environmentally for the better.  Do you
    37        understand?  You pander to the perception rather than the
    38        environmental factors; that is what is being put to you.
    39        A.  I believe the perception is very much part of the real
    40        world we live in.  I wish the facts were always what people
    41        believed.  Emotion enters into the picture and we have to
    42        respond to those on a local market by local market basis.
    43
    44   MR. MORRIS:  Basically, your environmental leaflets are
    45        generally propaganda trying to justify what the practices
    46        of the Corporation are, and you say one thing in one
    47        country and another thing in another country just because
    48        it is following what the packaging happens to be in that
    49        country?
    50        A.  We are? 
    51 
    52   Q.   It is just propaganda is it not? 
    53        A.  It is guided by local rules, regulations and customs
    54        and I would very much like to be able sometimes to say one
    55        issue fits all.  That is just not the real world.
    56
    57   Q.   While we are on this document, we might as well deal with
    58        this file.  Advertising, which is tab 4 subsection (6).
    59        I am going to ask you a question.  I do not know if you
    60        have subsection (6) separated out.

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