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:

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