DragonStryk72
06-23-2010, 05:47 PM
Public Interest Group Threatens Suit, says Toys "Deceptively" Market Fatty Foods to Kids
(AP) Are the toys in your child's Happy Meal making him fat?
The Center for Science in the Public Interest says they are. The Washington-based consumer advocacy group threatened to file a lawsuit against McDonald's Tuesday, charging that the fast food chain "unfairly and deceptively" markets the toys to children.
"McDonald's marketing has the effect of conscripting America's children into an unpaid drone army of word-of-mouth marketers, causing them to nag their parents to bring them to McDonald's," CSPI's Stephen Gardner wrote to the heads of the chain in a letter announcing the lawsuit.
The center, which has filed dozens of lawsuits against food companies in recent years, is hoping the publicity and the threat of a lawsuit will force McDonald's to negotiate with them on the issue. The group announced the lawsuit in the letter to McDonald's 30 days before filing it with the hope that the company will agree to stop selling the toys before a suit is filed.
McDonald's Vice President of Communications, William Whitman, said in a statement that the company "couldn't disagree more" with CSPI's assertion that their toys violate any laws. He said McDonald's restaurants offer more variety than they ever have and Happy Meals are made smaller for kids.
"We are proud of our Happy Meal which gives our customers wholesome food and toys of the highest quality and safety," Whitman said. "Getting a toy is just one part of a fun, family experience at McDonald's."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/23/health/main6608981.shtml
Okay, so this is just certifiably insane, IMO. McDonald's does not make anyone fat, period. It is exactly the same as a blaming the bartender cause you're an alcoholic. What makes kids fat is simple science: They are ingesting more calories than they are putting out, partially at least because most parents these days never kick their kids out of the house, and cave to children nagging them for toys.
I grew up eating McDonald's, and all other manner of fast food, and I am not fat, and never have been. This is because growing up, i was never in the house when the weather was nice. I didn't nag my parents because they would say no, and if I persisted, they would smack me and say no. There's this thing called a spine that these parents need to locate and utilize.
Now, I want to call your attention to this one part, cause it really states the whole case:
the company made a pledge in 2007 to advertise only two types of Happy Meals to children younger than 12: one with four Chicken McNuggets, apple dippers with caramel dip and low-fat white milk, or one with a hamburger, apple dippers and milk. They both meet the company-set requirement of less than 600 calories, and no more than 35 percent of calories from fat, 10 percent of calories from saturated fat or 35 percent total sugar by weight.
CSPI argues that even if those Happy Meals appear in advertisements, kids order the unhealthier meals most of the time.
CSPI has decided you are all bad parents, that you have no ability at all to make proper choices for your children, and it is up to them, and them alone, to stop you.
This also paints a much bleaker picture than actually exists. Many kids also choose the apple dippers and milk (or chocolate milk, not as healthy, but still milk at least), such as my girlfriend's daughter Julia, who is visibly upset when she gets fries. Heck, I'd have gotten the apple dipper growing up myself, as I'm not such a huge fan of fast food fries. McDonald's is doing the only appropriate thing it can do, which is to provide choices, and advertise the healthy ones, and any attempt to ask more than that from any business is a huge slap in the face to the inherent right we have to choose, for ourselves, and our children.
(AP) Are the toys in your child's Happy Meal making him fat?
The Center for Science in the Public Interest says they are. The Washington-based consumer advocacy group threatened to file a lawsuit against McDonald's Tuesday, charging that the fast food chain "unfairly and deceptively" markets the toys to children.
"McDonald's marketing has the effect of conscripting America's children into an unpaid drone army of word-of-mouth marketers, causing them to nag their parents to bring them to McDonald's," CSPI's Stephen Gardner wrote to the heads of the chain in a letter announcing the lawsuit.
The center, which has filed dozens of lawsuits against food companies in recent years, is hoping the publicity and the threat of a lawsuit will force McDonald's to negotiate with them on the issue. The group announced the lawsuit in the letter to McDonald's 30 days before filing it with the hope that the company will agree to stop selling the toys before a suit is filed.
McDonald's Vice President of Communications, William Whitman, said in a statement that the company "couldn't disagree more" with CSPI's assertion that their toys violate any laws. He said McDonald's restaurants offer more variety than they ever have and Happy Meals are made smaller for kids.
"We are proud of our Happy Meal which gives our customers wholesome food and toys of the highest quality and safety," Whitman said. "Getting a toy is just one part of a fun, family experience at McDonald's."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/23/health/main6608981.shtml
Okay, so this is just certifiably insane, IMO. McDonald's does not make anyone fat, period. It is exactly the same as a blaming the bartender cause you're an alcoholic. What makes kids fat is simple science: They are ingesting more calories than they are putting out, partially at least because most parents these days never kick their kids out of the house, and cave to children nagging them for toys.
I grew up eating McDonald's, and all other manner of fast food, and I am not fat, and never have been. This is because growing up, i was never in the house when the weather was nice. I didn't nag my parents because they would say no, and if I persisted, they would smack me and say no. There's this thing called a spine that these parents need to locate and utilize.
Now, I want to call your attention to this one part, cause it really states the whole case:
the company made a pledge in 2007 to advertise only two types of Happy Meals to children younger than 12: one with four Chicken McNuggets, apple dippers with caramel dip and low-fat white milk, or one with a hamburger, apple dippers and milk. They both meet the company-set requirement of less than 600 calories, and no more than 35 percent of calories from fat, 10 percent of calories from saturated fat or 35 percent total sugar by weight.
CSPI argues that even if those Happy Meals appear in advertisements, kids order the unhealthier meals most of the time.
CSPI has decided you are all bad parents, that you have no ability at all to make proper choices for your children, and it is up to them, and them alone, to stop you.
This also paints a much bleaker picture than actually exists. Many kids also choose the apple dippers and milk (or chocolate milk, not as healthy, but still milk at least), such as my girlfriend's daughter Julia, who is visibly upset when she gets fries. Heck, I'd have gotten the apple dipper growing up myself, as I'm not such a huge fan of fast food fries. McDonald's is doing the only appropriate thing it can do, which is to provide choices, and advertise the healthy ones, and any attempt to ask more than that from any business is a huge slap in the face to the inherent right we have to choose, for ourselves, and our children.