Day 053 - 22 Nov 94 - Page 07


     
     1   MS. STEEL:  No.  I am not trying to.  I was going to go on to
     2        the rest of the leaflet.  We recognise that the leaflet has
     3        to be read in context, or the sections of leaflet have to
     4        be read in the context of the whole leaflet; and that is,
     5        in fact, in our pleadings in any event.
     6
     7        What we do object to is the interpretation of the context
     8        that the Plaintiffs have put to this court.  We
     9        specifically reject what they are saying.
    10
    11        The title ,"What's wrong with McDonald's?  Everything they
    12        don't want you to know", just indicates what the leaflet is
    13        about.  There is no way that it could be said to
    14        specifically relate to their hiding a causal connection
    15        between their meals and cancer and heart disease.  It is
    16        just saying that they have something to hide in
    17        general.  It does not even necessarily relate to nutrition
    18        but, if it does, it could easily relate to McDonald's
    19        trying to show in their Nutrition Guide that mass-produced
    20        hamburgers, chips, colas and milkshakes are a useful and
    21        nutritious part of any diet, whereas the reality is that
    22        food high in fat, sugar, sodium, etc., which describes a
    23        typical McDonald's meal, is not a useful, nutritious part
    24        of any diet.
    25
    26        I would say the same in relation to the introductory
    27        passage, that there is no way that that can specifically be
    28        said to relate to a causal connection between their meals
    29        and heart disease and cancer.
    30
    31        In fact, I would point out that it says:  "The truth about
    32        hamburgers is enough to put you off them for life."  That
    33        could equally apply if you learn about what goes on in the
    34        slaughterhouse, or if you learn about the wasteful use of
    35        grain to feed cattle, that you may get put off hamburgers
    36        for life.  It is about the hamburger industry, not
    37        specifically just about McDonald's.
    38
    39        In relation to this -- this is a point that Mr. Rampton
    40        does not mention -- on page 5 of the leaflet in the
    41        box "Everything must go", it does say:
    42
    43        "What's wrong with McDonald's is also wrong with all the
    44        junk-food chains like Wimpy, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wendy,
    45        etc.  All of them hide their ruthless exploitation of
    46        resources, animals and people behind a facade of colourful
    47        gimmicks and 'family fun'.  The food itself is much the
    48        same everywhere - only the packaging is different.  The
    49        rise of these firms means less choice, not more.  They are
    50        one of the worst examples of industries motivated only by 
    51        profit and geared to continual expansion." 
    52 
    53        Right at the very end:
    54
    55        "The point is not to change McDonald's into some sort of
    56        vegetarian organisation, but to change the whole system
    57        itself."
    58
    59        Obviously, that is referring to the whole system of
    60        fast-food, the whole of the hamburger industry, not

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