Day 003 - 30 Jun 94 - Page 15
1 lowering fat, removing lard, adding something or taking
something away, they say: "Please don't lose this taste".
2 Technology sometimes does not move as rapidly as we would
like to move, but our record on removal of fats,
3 adjustment of our products themselves to keep pace with
changing tastes, consumer desires, is, quite frankly,
4 second to none.
5 Q. Mr. Preston, now can we turn over the page, please. This
is the page headed "McRip-off, McTorture, McWasteful,
6 McGarbage". Ignore: "Getting the chemistry right" except
for this, the last sentence in the box, do you see it:
7 "To achieve this artificial conformity, McDonald's
require that their 'fresh lettuce leaf'", that is put in
8 inverted commas, "for example, is treated with 12" in
italics "different chemicals just to keep it the right
9 colour at the right crispness for the right length of
time. It might as well be a bit of plastic".
10
Mr. Preston, ignore the sentence about plastic.
11 Concentrating on the facts alleged here, is it true or
false that McDonald's requires to be added 12 different
12 chemicals to the lettuce leaf to give it the appearance of
freshness?
13 A. It is absolutely false.
14 Q. Does McDonald's add anything to its lettuce leaf?
A. No.
15
Q. Does it require its suppliers to do so?
16 A. Suppliers have to comply with the laws of the lands
where we trade. I cannot speak for every of the 72
17 countries, but I certainly do not.
18 Q. I asked a slightly different question. I am content with
that answer, but I ask a different question. Does
19 McDonald's require its suppliers to put chemicals on the
lettuce leaf so as to keep them fresh looking?
20 A. No.
21 Q. The next big subheading: "How do McDonald's deliberately
exploit children?" Mr. Preston, do McDonald's
22 deliberately exploit children?
A. Absolutely not.
23
Q. What is McDonald's philosophy, culture or policy, in
24 relation to the children who eat at its restaurants?
A. Well, as a parent, and I guess this permeates the
25 entire McDonald's culture, we provide to families
information about what our food is composed of. We
26 certainly advertise, and some small part of our
advertising goes to children. We talk about it is a fun
27 place to come, the food is good. We certainly do not sell
directly to them. You will never see a big red box of
28 french fries in a children's ad -- it is forbidden.
29 But parents have an obligation in this equation too.
Again from a parent's standpoint, my children ask for many
30 things over the years and I love to give them what they
want in most every respect, but you simply sometimes say:
