EconPaper Mcdo
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Transcript of EconPaper Mcdo
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7/27/2019 EconPaper Mcdo
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NICOLAS, Joliene Leonara M. BAE101R
BSLM - 2A W&F (1:30-3PM)
Mcdonalds and Obesity
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast food restaurants
serving nearly 47 million customers daily through more than 31,000 restaurants in 119
countries worldwide. McDonalds sells various fast food items and softdrinks including,
burgers, chicken, salads, fries, and ice cream. Many McDonald's restaurants have
included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some
have been redesigned in a more 'natural' style with a particular emphasis on comfort:
introducing lounge areas and fireplaces and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables.
Governments and influential health advocates around the world, spooked that
their nations kids will become as fat as American kids, are cracking down on the
marketers they blame for the explosion in childhood obesity. Across the globe, efforts
are under way to slow the march of obesity.
The nutritional content of fast food--high in fat, sugar, and calories--is linked toweight gain and consequent health problems. McDonalds bears the brunt of criticism
because, McDonalds is a powerful multinational corporation and the fast food industry
leader, McDs has more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries, McDs feeds more
than 46 million customers per day and McDs employs more than 1.5 million people.
There are organizations, associations, government agencies, consumer groups,
activists, bloggers, etc. critical of McDonalds on the issue of health and nutrition .
McDonalds sued two protestors for allegedly libelous statements made in a
pamphlet, Whats Wrong with McDonalds; PR disaster that made McDonalds look
like a bully, built the media agenda on issues unfavorable to McDonalds, appellate
court ruled that the defendants were justified in claiming that regular customers of
McDonalds did face a heightened risk of heart trouble, pamphlet later reproduced on
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the Internet to massive international audience. Court case cost McDonalds over a
million dollars and provided the material for a full length documentary released in 2005,
McLibel
A group of obese teenagers who ate at McDonalds 3-5 times per week sued
McDonalds for causing their weight problems. They alleged that McDonalds
advertising and promotional representations create a false impression that its food
products are part of a healthy lifestyle and that McDonalds said it would have nutritional
information available to customers but it wasnt.
The court ruled in favor of McDonalds but the resulting press coverage put the
issue once again in the forefront. This case was what gave Spurlock the idea forSuper
Size Me. 2002 first time McDonalds posted a quarter loss in its history.
McDonalds must adopt strategic communication responses to those who
disapprove of what they see as McDonalds role in promoting obesity and health
problems.
McDs has avoided dialogical, or two-way, communication with critics. McDs
declined invitation to appear with Schlosser on NBCs Today Show and instead sent a
statement of facts and told them to visit the web site. McDs insists it did nothing in
response to the film Super Size Me and has stated it had no need to plan proactively for
the release of the film Fast Food Nation. These responses didnt help but instead made
things a lot worse.
So McDs created a blog which Contains section Engaging in the Global Obesity
Dialogue and Allows feedback and discussion. They also added more menu choices,
provided nutrition education and supported physical activity.
McDonalds has done an excellent job of remaining calm and patient . However,
McDonalds has not shown a sense of humor in the face of targeted criticisms .
The main question facing McDonalds is whether they can continue their world
dominance in the fast food industry by promoting active, healthy lifestyles when their
mainstay products continue to be linked to obesity and related health problems.
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McDonalds has done a laudable job in marketing the concept of consumer choice and
in establishing a generous corporate social responsibility program. However, in the
U.S. at least, McDonalds has not reduced advertising to children, reformulated its trans
fat cooking oil, or lowered fat, salt, and/or calorie counts on its core products. Rather
than diminishing, the issue of health and nutrition continues to escalate and McDonalds
remains a key target in 2006.
We can see that McDs may have tried to change its nutrition value on their
food; McDs is still and continuously slowly changing the worlds diet.