Day 009 - 08 Jul 94 - Page 15
1
Q. Yes, I understand that. I mean, you said that report was
2 in 1991-ish about exactly the terminology, when did
McDonald's start nailing down its terminology on
3 recycling?
A. We nailed down our technology to -- I mean our
4 labelling.
5 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Terminology?
A. Terminology. We did not nail that down. It was
6 nailed down for us by the Federal Trade Commission. This
all happened in 1991. When you look at our packaging back
7 in 1991, you will see, for instance, we made a big change
with our carry out bags. You will see that we labelled
8 that "made with recycled paper; 50 per cent" -- right on
the package it says "50 per cent post-consumer, 50 per
9 cent preconsumer". That is just one example of what we
did.
10
MR. MORRIS: I am just trying to see, there are two things:
11 There is the percentage of recycled paper that is post and
preconsumer, and there is the percentage of recycled paper
12 compared to non-recycled in a particular product.
13 So before that time, would McDonald's have said for one of
its products -- I do not know which one it was -- "made
14 with recycled paper" without specifying exactly what the
percentage of recycled paper in that product was?
15 A. Yes.
16 Q. For example, the toilet rolls?
A. Yes -- well, we never have and we do not label toilet
17 tissue.
18 Q. But would you have said maybe in some publicity that
toilet rolls are made with recycled paper?
19 A. That is correct. That is how we refer to it, exactly
correct. If we labelled anything prior to 1991, it would
20 have been a general terminology, as you referred to.
21 Q. Then after 1991?
A. It got much more specific.
22
Q. Nowadays, for example, with the toilet rolls, would you
23 still say it is made with recycled paper? Do you say that
in publicity or do you now say something different?
24 A. We would refer, if we labelled any packaging, we would
label it specifically. In terms of public communication,
25 we would follow different -- we would try to keep things
fairly broad in terms of our customer communication; the
26 reason for that is there is a lack of understanding.
These subjects are very technical, so that, in general,
27 our customers do not want to be reading extensive
technical information.
28
Q. I understand that.
29 A. In our correspondence that we draft for our customers,
we try to be both accurate but simple in terms of our
30 presentation. So we might refer to different -- we might
refer to recycled paper in general; perhaps we would refer
