Day 248 - 13 May 96 - Page 22
1 about the London Greenpeace libel action. It is called
2 'Bulletin No. 1'. It says, "Please find attached a
3 background briefing document on the forthcoming
4 London Greenpeace libel action which is due to come to
5 court on 18th April and last for approximately 12 weeks.
6 This is a complex matter of great important to McDonald's,
7 not just in the UK but around the world. It is also very
8 sensitive, particularly with regard to the press, and it is
9 very important therefore that you treat it seriously and
10 with the utmost confidentiality. Please read the briefing
11 document carefully. We are also currently preparing a
12 hand-out for you to use in the event of any customer
13 inquiries. This hand-out must not be left lying round the
14 dining area or in the did-you-know boards. It is to be
15 kept securely behind the counter and only handed out in
16 response to customer queries."
17
18 Then it carries on. Then, in tab No 17 is a memo from Edi
19 Bensilum to all supervisors, field consultants, senior
20 field marketing executives, regional communications
21 officers, and it is dated 14th April 1994. It says,
22 "Further to my memo dated 18th March we have now produced
23 a leaflet for customers regarding the London Greenpeace
24 trial and these have been delivered to all restaurants this
25 week." It says "see reverse" -- we do not appear to have
26 the reverse, actually. "As per the above memo restaurant
27 managers and franchisees were advised to keep the leaflets
28 in a secure place behind the counter, and only to use them
29 in response to customer inquiries. They should not be left
30 lying round the dining area nor should they be put on the
31 information boards".
32
33 Why was it that you did not want the memos -- sorry, the
34 leaflets given out to the public or put on the did-you-know
35 boards?
36 A. As I remember we made 300,000, and we gave 500 per
37 restaurant. We wanted to give them to people who genuinely
38 had an interest in the case or had a question, and that was
39 the way thought best to do it. I myself would not have had
40 any problem putting them in the did-you-know boards or
41 giving them out to a wider audience if we required, but we
42 only printed 300,000.
43
44 Q. Recently, you have printed a leaflet about BSE, or
45 basically talking about where you get your beef from which
46 is available in the restaurants. Do you know how many of
47 those were printed?
48 A. No.
49
50 Q. You have no idea at all?
51 A. No.
52
53 Q. Do you know how many of your other leaflets you usually get
54 printed when you ----
55 A. Depends what the issue is. Some we print very short
56 runs of with the intention of reviewing the information,
57 doing additional studies, updating the numerical contents
58 thereof; some we do long, long print runs of. If it is a
59 tray map we might do several million. If it is a nutrition
60 guide we may do enough to last 12, 18, 24 months and start
