Day 044 - 02 Nov 94 - Page 51

     
     1
     2   Q.   Using HCFCs?
     3        A.  It would have affected Australia, and I would certainly
     4        feel that other parts of the company that are interested in
     5        this particular issue would be aware of it.  I am not aware
     6        of it.
     7
     8   Q.   This was a promotion, was it not, a full page
     9        advertisement?  So if the description of HCFCs that were
    10        used, as far as we know, in 29 countries in 1989 -- I think
    11        the figure was, but a significant number of countries --
    12        was incorrectly described as ozone friendly, then that
    13        would be something of relevance to all the countries that
    14        were using HCFCs, would it not?
    15        A.  In most of the marketing meetings that I can remember,
    16        the discussions did not centre around issues where a
    17        Practices Commission either said something was correct or
    18        incorrect.  It just did not come up.  If it had, I would
    19        tell you it had, but it had not.
    20
    Q.   Does McDonald's take the rulings of such bodies and
    22        Standards Authorities, Trades Commissions, whatever, on its
    23        promotional activities seriously?
    24        A.  I would hope that the country in which they are issued
    25        takes them seriously, yes.
    26
    27   Q.   The other countries are not bothered, then?
    28        A.  No.  There is no central bulletin which talks about
    29        issues in each country.  I have never seen one.
    30
    31   Q.   So if something that you have done in one country has been
    32        deemed to be deceptive or dishonest or misleading, or
    33        whatever, the Corporation as a whole does not concern
    34        itself; it is not interested?
    35        A.  I cannot talk about the Corporation as whole.  I can
    36        only talk about what I have received or information that
    37        I have received, and I received no information about this.
    38
    39   Q.   Right.  You heard about the UK.  I will not go on about
    40        that.
         A.  Yes.
    42
    43   Q.   Do you know about Finland, in 1990, banning a children's
    44        advert which they say exploited the loneliness of a child?
    45        A.  No, I do not.
    46
    47   Q.   You do not know about that?
    48        A.  No.
    49
    50   Q.   Never heard of anything about it? 
    51        A.  That is correct. 
    52 
    53   Q.   This is a formal admission by McDonald's; they have
    54        admitted this section.  Is that not something that concerns
    55        all the countries where McDonald's operate, all their
    56        promotional activities?
    57        A.  Again, I think that the rules and regulations in a
    58        particular country are most important to that country.
    59        This probably -- and, again, I can only speculate that in
    60        the European theatre it may have been discussed, but it was