Day 046 - 04 Nov 94 - Page 21
1
2 MR. MORRIS: (To the witness) Obviously, McDonald's is one of
3 the -- it is probably the most well known dispenser of meat
4 product to the population. I think it is the world's
5 largest user of beef. This was in National Nutrition Week
6 in the States. Were you aware that there were protests
7 about this ad from the Physicians' Committee for
8 Responsible Medicine?
9
10 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What do you want to put to this witness?
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12 MR. MORRIS: (To the witness) Would you not say that ad is
13 deceptive?
14 A. No, I would not say it is deceptive. This is the
15 information that was given to us by the American Dietetic
16 Association, and we used it within that context.
17
18 Q. Did they say that meat can help -- do you know about the
19 American Dietetic Association? Did you speak to them
20 regarding this ad?
21 A. Yes. When we developed this -- and I was not directly
22 involved, but it was my department -- it was my
23 understanding that with the development of this ad, the
24 American Dietetic Association was a part of it.
25
26 Q. Do you check out the health claims or fitness claims, or
27 whatever, when you make those kinds of statements in ads?
28 A. They would have been verified by the American Dietetic
29 Association and, if not, by other factual information or
30 associations.
31
32 Q. The exact wording would have been verified, would it, by
33 the Dietetic Association?
34 A. I am not exactly sure if the exact wording was or not,
35 but certainly the thought behind the wording would have
36 been.
37
38 Q. McDonald's will take full responsibility for the wording in
39 its ads, will it not?
40 A. Yes.
41
42 Q. So if it was, in fact, expert medical opinion that the meat
43 group does not, in fact, help people to ride their bikes
44 further and climb higher mountains, if it was found --
45 I know you are not a nutritional expert -- then that ad
46 would be deceptive, would it not?
47 A. Again, if the consensus of people who were experts in
48 this industry felt that the information was wrong, then the
49 information would have been incorrect.
50
51 Q. Do you know that you did have complaint about this ad, or
52 about this promotion, sorry?
53 A. I am not familiar with any particular complaint on this
54 particular----
55
56 Q. I do not think it has been resolved, but there is a formal
57 complaint. Okay, we will move on from that one. You are
58 concerned, though, about people's health, are you not, your
59 customers' health?
60 A. Yes. I said that yesterday. I think that is one of
