McDonald's sued over Happy Meal advertising to children

[News_Editor]

McDonald's sued over Happy Meal advertising to children

2010-12-16 11:50:02 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- McDonald's was sued on Wednesday by a U.S. consumer group claiming its famous Happy Meals unfairly entice children into eating unhealthy food by offering them toys.

The Washington-based advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) filed the lawsuit at a state courthouse in San Francisco after previously warning the fast food chain in June that it would sue if the company did not stop providing toys with children's meals that have high amounts of sugar, calories, fat and salt.

Monet Parham, a mother of two from Sacramento, California says that McDonald's uses toys as bait to induce her kids to go to McDonald's and to develop a preference for nutritionally poor Happy Meals.

With the help of the advocacy group, Parham filed the class action lawsuit aimed at stopping McDonald's use of toys to market directly to young children. According to Parham, the main reason her six-year-old daughter, Maya, asks to go to McDonald's is to get toys based on Barbie, i-Carly, Shrek, or Strawberry Shortcake.

The food seems almost beside the point to the kids, says Parham, because the toy monopolizes the attention of Maya and her two-year-old sister Lauryn.

"I am concerned about the health of my children and feel that McDonald's should be a very limited part of their diet and their childhood experience," Parham said.

"But as other busy, working moms and dads know, we have to say 'no' to our young children so many times, and McDonald's makes that so much harder to do. I object to the fact that McDonald's is getting into my kids' heads without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to eat."

According to CSPI, fast-food companies - with McDonald's by far in the lead - spent over $520 million on advertising and toys to market children's meals in 2006. Toy premiums made up almost three-quarters of those expenses, totaling over $350 million.

"McDonald's offerings consist mostly of fatty meat, fatty cheese, French fries, white flour, and sugar - a narrow combination of foods that promotes weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease - and may lead to a lifetime of poor diets," Michael Jacobson, the group's executive director, said.

CSPI's litigation unit has taken on food marketing to children before.

In 2006, CSPI notified Kellogg that it would be sued for marketing sugary cereals and other junk food directly to children. After negotiating for more than a year, CSPI and Kellogg reached a historic settlement agreement that set nutrition standards for the foods the company may advertise on media with young audiences.

Since then, Kellogg only advertises to young audiences if a serving of the food meets certain nutrition criteria. Subsequently, numerous other companies announced voluntary nutrition standards for their advertising.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-12-16

[canuckamuck]

Lol

I'm a wimpy parent that can't say no. Therefore I will sue everyone who supplies a product that my kid will ask for because I am to feeble to make a stand and I can't stand the stress of doing the right thing. Signed, typical western adult.

[cdnvic]

If you can't say no to your kid getting a happy meal how are you going to get them to say no to crack?

[thaicbr]

i think the point is....why should you have to say NO... the company should promote healthier food for kids. And then IF and when the kids get old enough to understand and decide then they can choose... Have a look around here in Thailand.. The Miso (middle income) kids are getting fatter... some extremely fat..

[laurentbkk]

Any other bright things like this ??????????? This is ridiculous ...... Parents should be sued to bring their kids at Mac Do . At least they still have the choice to bring their kids to ear junk or proper food.

When can we sue the petrol station in Thailand for giving free bottle of water which are not even mineral water but normal filtered water .... :lol:

[thaikahuna]

The company sells a legal product. It is the responsibility of the consumer to know what they are ingesting. It is the responsibility of the PARENT to assure they feed their children properly. If they cannot say no to a simple happy meal, they have no dam_n business being parents since they lack the willpower to instill discipline.

That said, the company will probably settle out of court for some bullshit amount and the bastards will still go on feeding their kids at the arches...

[animatic]

If you can't say no to your kid getting a happy meal how are you going to get them to say no to crack?

That really IS the point isn't it.

[IanForbes]

If you can't say no to your kid getting a happy meal how are you going to get them to say no to crack?

Only too true. They better ban all television as well. It's all about advertising products that only are of marginal value. But I kind of believe in the Darwin theory... let the stupid and weak self destruct. We already have too many stupid people on this planet. If I can say no to a big Mac and fries then so can everyone else. If parents can't stand up to their children then they shouldn't have children in the first place.

[transam]

So most kids now days sit in front of a PC playing games, on their ass getting fat instead of out playing games to burn it off. Does this mean next the PC games people will be sued for advertising their stuff, enticing kids away from exercise, what next.

[Thaddeus]

So most kids now days sit in front of a PC playing games, on their ass getting fat instead of out playing games to burn it off. Does this mean next the PC games people will be sued for advertising their stuff, enticing kids away from exercise, what next.

Don't go giving them ideas mate.

[TAWP]

The toys are free to be bought on the side.

Or you can throw the food away if it really is besides the point for the kids.

[cdnvic]

How does most of the processed foods sitting in cans on the supermarket shelf stack up? If McDonald's can't advertise, neither should Chef Boyardee, Koolaid, Fruit Loops, Kraft Dinner, etc.

[mca]

"I am concerned about the health of my children and feel that McDonald's should be a very limited part of their diet and their childhood experience," Parham said.

"But as other busy, working moms and dads know, we have to say 'no' to our young children so many times, and McDonald's makes that so much harder to do. I object to the fact that McDonald's is getting into my kids' heads without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to eat."

Pathetic excuse for a parent. You don't have to take them every bloody day.

[slapout]

I used to believe in the Darwin theory, then I hear about people like this, (Parham) and many like her are roaming the earth and reproducing like rabbits. Wonder when the last time was that she cooked a balanced meal for the kids at the house?

With what they report McDonalds spends on the toys, they could leave the toys out of the meal, pocket millions more and when the kid started crying, tell them they mother broke it, threw it away or stole it.

[transam]

"I am concerned about the health of my children and feel that McDonald's should be a very limited part of their diet and their childhood experience," Parham said.

"But as other busy, working moms and dads know, we have to say 'no' to our young children so many times, and McDonald's makes that so much harder to do. I object to the fact that McDonald's is getting into my kids' heads without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to eat."

Pathetic excuse for a parent. You don't have to take them every bloody day.

+1

Adults like a beer, doesn't mean we all head for the pub at midday does it.

[transam]

How does most of the processed foods sitting in cans on the supermarket shelf stack up? If McDonald's can't advertise, neither should Chef Boyardee, Koolaid, Fruit Loops, Kraft Dinner, etc.

Absolutely.

We are all told ready made meals etc are not good for you, so where does it all end. Seems the big guys get shafted cos they are big.

[TAWP]

[Carib]

I wouldn't be surprised if she wins, anything is possible with lawsuits like this in america, as has been proven before.

[mca]

As the ignorant slob puffs away on a ciggie. Or is it a road marking and my eyes are deceiving me? Anyhow sometimes enforced sterilisation seems quite a sensible option rather than an abuse on somebody's human rights.

Edited December 16, 2010 by mca

[cdnvic]

Nice of the photographer to crop the beer at potato chips out

Great pic TAWP

[mca]

"I am concerned about the health of my children and feel that McDonald's should be a very limited part of their diet and their childhood experience," Parham said.

I feel interaction with her as their mother should be a very limited part of their childhood experience.

[koheesti]

I'm relieved that the consensus here on TV is that it is the parent's responsibility to control what they're children eat. Seems like common sense, but as the article shows, some people don't get it. I think each community should hold a public show of hands on this issue, and parents who think McDonalds is to blame must go through forced sterilization. That's a step in the right direction for the human race.

[billd766]

My son regularly eats at KFC (no McDonalds near us).

Usually once a month when we go for bulk shopping.

Well that is regularly.

The other meals (don't know about the school food) is fresh cooked Thai food and very little in the way of western processed food at all.

[chuckd]

Come on, folks. This woman is from San Francisco, the dingbat capital of the world.

Remember, a couple of weeks ago the San Francisco city fathers outlawed the giving of toys by McD's to the innocent children and their innocently stupid parents.

What can you expect from a group of adults that have continued to reelect Nancy Pelosi to the US House of Representatives?

[Scott]

When my kids were young we rarely went to McDonald's--only when I was being a slackard parent and couldn't be bothered to cook for them. If they had any of those promotional things going on that I knew was going to be a problem, I didn't get near the place.

It will be interesting to see how the courts view the entire thing.

[ozsamurai]

No one as usual is reading between the lines.... follow the money

- McDonalds stands to save 350million a year, by axing the Happy Meal program in the US alone

- It gets to cut staff expenditure for all those involved in design, purchase, distribution etc.

They could just come out with lame toys (which some are) AND LET IT DIE, but why do that when you can have all the free advertising you could possibly want from outraged MISO (I like that), sparking debate. I could go on, but I'm sure anyone with half a brain can figure out the rest of the implications and benefits to the chain in this lawsuit.

Oz

[TAWP]

You think McDonalds is losing money on the Happy Meals and all tie-in advertisement with movies etc?

[fletchsmile]

Or they could petition for a Thai solution:

Stop MacDonald's selling food to everyone, including adults, between 2 o'clock to 5 o'clock when the kids come out of school, + on Saturdays and Sundays, when they don't even go to school just to be on the safe side

[canuckamuck]

7/11 is selling Doreomon electronic purse cards to kids which are topped up by the parents. I saw a lady put 1000 baht on one yesterday for an eight year old girl.

I am sure that the kids only buy wholesome meals with the cards, right?

How long until the American nutri-nazis find out?

[DougLee]

At least in other countries the happy meal gives you a nice apple juice and a bunch of apples to dip into caramel.. You can also chose between nuggets, burgers, salad etc etc

In thailand? a shitty toy, nuggets and a chocolate/coffee drink or a soda.. no juice at mcdonalds. PRice is the same as in other countries though.