Day 037 - 14 Oct 94 - Page 54


     
     1   Q.   Would it be wrong for me to describe it as a meal because
     2        I have a sandwich rather than a soup and a main course?
     3        Would it be wrong to call it a meal?
     4        A.  Personally, I would suspect that -- no, I would not
     5        call that a meal.  I would call it a snack, but the
     6        important point I am trying to use, to bring out here, is
     7        the way that McDonald's are using their marketing budget
     8        to define precisely what they mean and, obviously, if
     9        their advertising is successful, what increasing numbers
    10        of the British public will come to mean by the term "meal"
    11        consisting of hamburger, french fries and a drink.  This
    12        is not helpful in terms of health promotion.
    13
    14   MR. MORRIS:  Presumably, these types of meals would be
    15        replacing other types of meals in their diet?
    16        A.  Quite.  That is right.  It is, you know, it is a step
    17        down the wrong road.  I see this as a hypocritical gesture
    18        because, if McDonald's are, indeed, as keen to provide
    19        health as they say in some of their publicity, then they
    20        would not be doing this; they would be helping us to
    21        define the concept of a healthy meal.
    22
    23   Q.   Just a couple of further points on this particular thing.
    24        If you note at the top, it says:  "Free when you purchase
    25        any extra value meal" which is the photograph you showed
    26        us  ---
    27        A.  Yes.
    28
    29   Q.   -- which is the photograph you showed us before with the
    30        three items ---
    31        A.  Yes.
    32
    33   Q.   -- which you characterise, I believe, as unhealthy?
    34        A.  Yes, indeed.
    35
    36   Q.   Items specifically or meal combinations, and this one is
    37        on top of those?
    38        A.  Yes.
    39
    40   Q.   As something that is bang up to date in terms of the
    41        typical meals that they are promoting, and we note they
    42        actually exclude orange juice in that, although we do not
    43        know the exact reason, pure orange juice, do you think
    44        they are taking seriously their stated objective in that
    45        pamphlet we looked at earlier on about just promoting a
    46        healthy diet amongst their customers?
    47        A.  No, no, it is so much window dressing.
    48
    49   MR. MORRIS:  No further questions.
    50 
    51   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, thank you very much.   I will just ask 
    52        Ms. Steel, Mr. Rampton, do you want to ask any questions? 
    53
    54   MS. STEEL:  No.
    55
    56                       Cross-Examined by Mr. Rampton
    57
    58   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, may I preface my relatively short
    59        cross-examination of this witness with this observation:
    60        I know your Lordship accepts the extent to which

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