Day 053 - 22 Nov 94 - Page 08
1 specifically just McDonald's. McDonald's is the most
2 well-known of the hamburger chains and, therefore, that is
3 why they are specifically referred to. They are
4 specifically used as an example, but it is about the whole
5 of the hamburger industry.
6
7 In relation to the "M's" at the top of the page, we believe
8 they are simply part of a satirical banner designed to
9 catch the eye. We do not consider that the words are being
10 used descriptively, and we would certainly say that they
11 are not statements. We say that no one reading the banner
12 and then reading the text would read "McCancer" as meaning
13 that McDonald's causes cancer.
14
15 Given that it is not even on the same page, it is highly
16 likely that if anyone had bothered reading all the headings
17 at the top, they would have forgotten it by the time they
18 got to the section on nutrition, anyway.
19
20 The heading at the top of the paragraph about
21 nutrition, "What's so unhealthy about McDonald's food?" it
22 relates to the fact that they promote their food as
23 healthy. So it is trying to put an alternative point of
24 view, and saying that the fact is that much of it is high
25 in fat and low in fibre, et cetera, and it is wrong for
26 them to call it healthy. The fact is, it is not a useful
27 and nutritious part of any diet.
28
29 I would point out that the use of "any diet" relates to the
30 fact that the impression given in McDonald's pamphlets is
31 that they are a useful part of the diet, therefore, they
32 are a nutritious part. The implication in that is that if
33 you eat some other food that is not so useless, it does not
34 matter, because you have had a useful part from McDonald's.
35
36 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I understand your argument, but are you
37 saying that the leaflet is not even capable of bearing the
38 meaning which Mr. Rampton puts on it?
39
40 MS. STEEL: I would say so, yes.
41
42 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It is not capable?
43
44 MS. STEEL: No. I do not see how it can be capable of saying:
45 "You eat McDonald's products and you will get cancer."
46
47 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Would you accept that it is capable of having
48 some intermediate meaning, such as: "If you eat enough
49 McDonald's food to make your diet high in saturated fat and
50 salt and low in fibre, vitamins and minerals, then you take
51 a risk of suffering cancers of the breast or bowel or heart
52 disease as a result"?
53
54 MS. STEEL: I would say that it is about diet in general, and
55 that if you have a diet that is high in fat, sodium,
56 et cetera, then you are running a risk of getting those
57 types of diseases, and that McDonald's food comes into that
58 because McDonald's food fits that description.
59
60 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Is that not the same as what I have put to
