Day 299 - 13 Nov 96 - Page 42
1 Golden Arches code.
2
3 MS. STEEL: Mr. Morris did actually say, when he was asking
4 this question, "with the exception of going to your lawyers
5 to get advice", so -----
6
7 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes. Very well.
8
9 MS. STEEL: He agreed, on day 48, page 32, line 6, with what
10 was stated in the new ITC Code recommendations, that
11 companies should not do anything misleading or untoward to
12 positively act against a balanced diet and, therefore, the
13 Health of the Nation. But, whilst he is agreeing that that
14 is a good idea, the company is certainly not implementing
15 it, because it is still promoting its food as nutritious
16 and a useful part of the diet -- any diet.
17
18 Again, on day 48, page 49, line 58, he said that a typical
19 meal that McDonald's would promote would be a burger or
20 chicken, along with fries and a soft drink.
21
22 MR. MORRIS: Can I just say a few bits and pieces that cropped
23 up as I was listening there? Just that very last point
24 about "a useful and nutritious part of any diet" -- that is
25 a direct quote from the fact sheet, as well -- I am not
26 sure if we flagged up the word "any". I know the nutrition
27 meaning has been settled now, but the criticisms that are
28 made are in contrast with McDonald's portraying their food
29 as a useful and nutritious part of any diet; i.e., if you
30 have got a poor diet, the implication is, if you eat
31 McDonald's food, it will be a beneficial part of that diet,
32 rather than another negative factor.
33
34 In no particular order, I think the cross-over time is
35 clearly targeting children in advertising. The point has
36 been made. But the point is, they are targeting children
37 and they are targeting adults, and they are targeting them
38 together; and there is a purpose for doing it together,
39 obviously. But I think actual adults' advertising which
40 the children do not see is a very small part of McDonald's
41 advertising.
42
43 The other thing about that I wanted to mention was the last
44 paragraph in Paul Preston's statement of 24th May 1994.
45 (Pause) Actually, Ms. Steel is going to come back to
46 that. I thought it had been dealt with, but she will come
47 back to that. I will leave that one.
48
49 As well as the restrictions on manipulating children's
50 emotions that exist in the ITC Code -- which we would say
51 is a recognition of this being a bad thing, that,
52 obviously, they do not want to limit the commercial
53 interests and their wish to advertise their products
54 effectively; so the ITC Code is basically ineffective in
55 protecting the public, and protecting children in
56 particular, but it is a recognition that there is something
57 unethical about manipulating children's emotions. Also,
58 there are restrictions on the use of toys. For example,
59 the size of the toy has to be clear; the natural sound of
60 the toy, of a full-sized version of a particular toy, is
