Day 247 - 10 May 96 - Page 60


     
     1   Q.   Right.  But you would not -- sorry, you also said in your
     2        examination-in-chief that you do not feel any
     3        responsibility for the 180,000 deaths caused in this
     4        country by heart disease.
     5        A.  No, I do not.
     6
     7   Q.   If you did feel that there was a link between any of those
     8        deaths and McDonald's food, would you take any action in
     9        respect of that?
    10        A.  If I thought McDonald's food was providing a danger to
    11        somebody I would make changes.  I do not feel that way,
    12        I never have.  I think we could do what we did better, and
    13        evidence has been provided by many other people to that as
    14        we have reduced fats, as we have added items for greater
    15        choice to the menu.  I think that is probably the best form
    16        of action McDonald's could ever take.
    17
    18   Q.   To make their products healthier?
    19        A.  That is not what I said.
    20
    21   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  We are back in the midst of the argument, are
    22        we not?
    23
    24   MS. STEEL:   Have you ever considered putting up signs in your
    25        stores recommending that people do not eat there more often
    26        than, say, once or twice a week at the most?
    27        A.  No.  I am sorry, I did not mean to laugh.
    28
    29   Q.   You also said in your evidence-in-chief that know of no
    30        customers who have died of heart attacks as a consequence
    31        of eating McDonald's food.  But you do not follow up on
    32        what happens to all your customers do you?
    33        A.  It is an impossible task.
    34
    35   Q.   You cannot actually give us any remotely helpful evidence
    36        about whether or not your customers are dying of heart
    37        attacks?
    38        A.  I have no idea.
    39
    40   Q.   Right.  OK.  When was the first McDonald's survey in this
    41        country to try and find out how often people ate at
    42        McDonald's?
    43        A.  It would have been many years ago, I am sure, as part
    44        of a marketing exercise.  But I cannot give you a date.
    45
    46   Q.   You have no idea when it was?
    47        A.  No, it would have been a long time ago, probably in
    48        conjunction with research that determined we have two
    49        people fed for every transaction, but I do not know a date.
    50 
    51   Q.   When you had your examination-in-chief you were asked about 
    52        a statement in the leaflet which says that even their own 
    53        figures, i.e. McDonald's, show that a quarter-pounder is 48
    54        per cent water.  Mr. Rampton asked is water added to the
    55        quarter-pounders; you said no.  The leaflet does not
    56        actually say that water is added to the quarter-pounder
    57        does it?
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  That is not a question the witness can
    60        answer.  Mr. Rampton was querying whether the inference

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