Day 123 - 09 May 95 - Page 44
1 whatever. Do you have any problems with that?
2 A. You know, as I indicated earlier, I do not have a
3 problem with the general publication of nutrition
4 guidelines, dietary guidelines, but when things like that
5 are published with, and in the context of a leaflet like
6 this, I do have a serious problem.
7
8 Q. If it is in a leaflet which is a general look at, say,
9 McDonald's food, or something, what are you saying? Are
10 you saying it carries some indication that it would be
11 different if it was just on its own?
12 A. I guess what I am saying is these various institutions,
13 research organisations that have done their research and
14 have published their conclusions, I certainly feel it is
15 fine to publish that information, to distribute that
16 information. That only helps us as consumers to make more
17 informed judgments about what we eat, and how much. But to
18 have some of that information extracted into, to be
19 included in a publication like this, surrounded with
20 statements that are inflammatory, untrue, without
21 foundation, I think is wrong, and I do not support. As
22 indicated earlier all of this is, you know,, I think,
23 rubbish.
24
25 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Do you want to have the break there, or one
26 very shortly?
27
28 MR. MORRIS: May I just have a think? (To the witness).
29 Mr. Beavers, you have sued. You decided -- I know not you
30 personally -- but you are representing the body that
31 decided to sue us, partly over the statement in the London
32 Greenpeace fact sheet about links between heart disease and
33 cancer and diet, and when I read out the other quote, we
34 went through in detail just before, which is not the London
35 Greenpeace fact sheet, it was a different document, you
36 were not surprised that cancer was raised as linked to
37 diet -- "related" -- is the word that is used, or that
38 dietary guidelines could prevent such diseases, including
39 cancer? Would you like to have a chance to comment on
40 that?
41 A. Well, you know, beyond what I have already commented on
42 I do not know what additional information I could provide,
43 other than to say that again I have a serious problem with
44 extraction of certain information from certain studies that
45 are used and in this pamphlet.
46
47 Q. The question is, is it accurate, is it not?
48 A. Pardon.
49
50 Q. The question is, is it accurate?
51 A. I think it jumps at conclusions. I think we serve a
52 wholesome nutritious menu, and, as I have stated before, we
53 publish nutritional booklets that help our consumers to be
54 more informed. I certainly applaud the publication of
55 nutritional guidelines by various research organisations,
56 medical schools. I think that helps all of us to make
57 informed judgments about what we eat and how much we eat.
58 I think that is important. We certainly support that, but
59 which I am saying to you is that when you take bits and
60 pieces from those studies and you put it in a piece of
