Happy Meals are evil. In America they’re going to start serving apples within, but A) they’ll continue exploiting emerging markets and B) it’s not enough.
Every time we drive past McDonald’s, the kid begs to go and insists on at least slowing down to see what toy they have. But he’s a kid. Yesterday I saw him leave an ice cube on the rug, come back and pop it in his mouth. I mean, why, it’s not even food. No one should be marketing to this person.
But McDonalds does market to kids. Everbody on the cartoon networks does. And they market crap. With toys it’s violence for boys and housewifery for girls (see wordclouds). With food it’s all junk. How much advertising did oranges or water or idli do last year? None.
For adults we presume that we can ignore the ads, but kids kinda can’t. They like them, they pay attention and, to a degree, they believe. And Happy Meals are the worst. Not only do they advertise, but kids really like the toys, toys which are bodily endorsed by their favorite cartoon characters. Yet the food they promote is quite bad for them. And expensive. And exasperating for parents. It’s uncool.
So, is the move to add apples enough? Not really.
The move by McDonald’s, which has become a leader in moving from just burgers and fries to more nutritious fare like oatmeal and salads, comes as fast food chains face intense scrutiny from health officials and others who blame the industry for childhood obesity and other health-related problems. Some municipalities, including San Francisco, have even banned fast food restaurants from selling kids’ meals with toys.
Critics wasted no time complaining that McDonald’s changes don’t go far enough. Kelle Louaillier, executive director of a group called Corporate Accountability International, said McDonald’s is just trying to get ahead of impending regulations that will restrict the marketing of junk food to children and require restaurants to post nutrition information on menus, among other changes. (WSJ)
What gets me is that, like cigarette companies, they avoid regulations in the west by pushing stuff on the developing world. After Supersize Me McDonald’s phased out the practice of upping the already big portions. But it still goes on here, and the cashiers (quite well-trained and courteous mind you) still push it aggressively.
So, while McDonald’s may be adding apples to American menus, I don’t see mango slices coming to Sri Lanka anytime soon.
One of the massive advantages of living in the UK if you have kids is the availability of CBBC (Children’s BBC) and CBeebies (CBBC for toddlers), on the television and internet (plus limited radio shows).
With no advertising (other than, I suppose indirectly for CBBC-related toys), parents can be sure that their kids, at least at a young age, can be protected from the marketers while at home. However, nothing lasts forever and peer pressure from school kids will always win out. Cartoon Network is only a channel change away…
I understand that Sweden has a law that bans all advertising aimed at kids under the age of 12. I generally hate the ‘nanny state’, but given minors’ increased vulnerability, I back that law.
Indi,
did you see Tom Naughton’s counter-point documentary, Fat Head? Spurlock is a talented filmmaker but also a terrible amateur scientist and knows dick all about obesity or the state of epidemiology regarding the same.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/196879/fat-head
sadly, western corporations ply Sri Lanka with cigarettes and fast food but withhold access to Hulu. I can’t watch that from here
That is just plain ol’ dumb to let your kid watch TV, take them to fast food restaurants and then complain about the food the child eats there. You live in Sri Lanka – where it is easy to eat food close to it’s most natural form. Aiyo Indi what a load of crock.
I live in the US and my 9 year old daughter has NO clue about McDonald’s or about any fast food restaurants that we pass by on a daily basis. We also have no TV in the house so she is not influenced by TV ads. If we can do it in this so called land of obesity and excessive consumption, I am sure you can.
well, we don’t take the kid to McDonald’s. And he watches a moderate amount of TV. I’m talking about the broader issue.
Cannot resist!
When Indrajit was five, we faced the same demand: To be taken to the McDonalds near Ohio State where I used to teach.
I grit my teeth and took him when he asked, but at the same time he had lots of access to high quality food options both at home and in good restaurants. Helps when the food at home is tasty.
Victory was the day he chose to eat at a Tandoori place within sight of McDonald’s like outlets. The exercise took less than a year.
I’d say Indrajit has not suffered as result. Less paternalistic and draconian than outright refusal. And effective too, as the above post testifies.