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Mom to Sue McDonald's in Happy Meal Battle

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R

Ripclawe

Banned
Pathetic.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/mom-sue-mcdonalds-happy-meal-battle/story?id=12400445

Like many mothers, Monet Parham wants to feed her daughter one thing, but the girl often wants to eat something else.

It's the unhappy battle over the Happy Meal and Parham, mother of two and a health educator, said it's a fight she just can't win.

"I can tell them 'No' all day long, but then they see commercials that convince them you've really got to have this," Parham said. Her 6-year-old daughter Maya especially likes the toys that come with McDonald's Happy Meals. With a smile, the first grader says opening a Happy Meal is like "a birthday present."

So now Parham plans to join the Center for Science in the Public Interest in filing a lawsuit today against the fast food giant to force them to either offer lower-calorie meals or get rid of the enticing trinkets.

The city of San Francisco recently banned Happy Meals toys as the latest blow in what has become an increasingly decisive issue: just who is responsible for what kids eat?

"I object to the fact that McDonald's is getting into my kids' heads without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to eat," Parham said in a CSPI statement announcing the lawsuit.

Some, including former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, said watching what kids eat is the parent's duty.

"Should it be the government or should it be the parents?" Palin said in recent speech. "It should be the parents."

But others, like Michael Jacobson of the CSPI, said it's not a fair fight.

"I wish Sarah Palin would start criticizing McDonald's and some of the other companies for these manipulative marketing tricks," Jacobson said.

Fast food companies spent more than $520 million on advertising and toys for Kids Meals, according to a 2006 report by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Of that, $350 million went to toys alone.

"McDonald's knows that kids like toys more than they like the burgers, so they dangle these little toys in front of kids to pester their parents to take them to McDonald's," Jacobson said. "It's a trick that works. It's unfair to kids, they are being totally manipulated and it's unfair to parents who have the company going behind their back using this toy trick to get their kids to pester them."

McDonald's: 'We Listen to Our Customers'
McDonald's has not seen the lawsuit Parham plans to file, but when the CSPI threatened a lawsuit this summer, the company said they already have lower-calorie Happy Meal options and "couldn't disagree more with the misrepresentation of our food and marketing practices."

In a response to a possible lawsuit from the CSPI, McDonald's posted a statement on its website in July.

"When CSPI refers to America's children as 'an unpaid drone army,' you similarly denigrate parents and families, because they are fully capable of making their own decisions. You should apologize," the statement said. "At McDonald's, we listen to what our customers tell us. For the past 30 years they have told us -- again, overwhelmingly -- that they approve of our Happy Meal program. Three decades provide a lot of listening time. That's why we are confident that parents understand and appreciate that Happy Meals are a fun treat, with right-sized, quality food choices for their children."

In their statement announcing the lawsuit, the CSPI acknowledged that McDonald's does provide some lower calorie meal options, but said that "only a handful fall under that threshold -- and even those have more than one-third a day's worth of sodium."


McDonalds Statement on 'GMA' Report
After "Good Morning America" aired our report about the coming lawsuit from Parham and the CSPI, McDonalds issued a statement in response. Read the statement in full below:

Statement From McDonald's on CSPI Lawsuit

We are proud of our Happy Meals and intend to vigorously defend our brand, our reputation and our food.

We stand on our 30 year track record of providing a fun experience for kids and families at McDonald's.

We listen to our customers, and parents consistently tell us they approve of our Happy Meals. We are confident that parents understand and appreciate that Happy Meals are a fun treat, with quality, right-sized food choices for their children that can fit into a balanced diet.

Bridget Coffing
McDonald's Spokesperson
Click to expand...
 
F

Fusebox

Banned
Sad state of affairs. How much power do kids have over their parents these days? This lady is just a marshmallow who wants to blame someone else for the fact she can't control her kid.
 
D

DarthWoo

I'm glad Grandpa porked a Chinese Muslim
I don't know all the details about this, but I can say that I had an occasional Happy Meal when I was young, and if anything, I was typically underweight until my high school to college years. Perhaps McDonald's advertising has become more pervasive, but there's still the parenting element that needs to factor into all of this as well.

Off the topic, I think my favorite Happy Meal toy set was when they had several tiny sets of Lego, where if you got all of them, you had all the pieces to make a pretty decent looking private jet.
 
C

Chavelo

Member
CharlieDigital said:
Why? For actually standing up against the marketing of unhealthy foods targeted at kids by using toys which have, of late, sometimes contained near toxic levels of cadmium?
Click to expand...

Oh shit, she's on GAF!


captmcblack said:
People are so fucking dumb.

Solution: DON'T BUY THE KID MCDONALDS; DISCIPLINE AND FEED YOUR CHILD
Click to expand...

BOOM... and done.

EDIT: OH GOD. NOW I'M SEEING MCDONALD'S ADS IN THIS THREAD. I DON'T LIKE IT. I THINK IMMA JOIN UP WITH THIS LADY
 
E

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
Well isn't it illegal to make advertising that targets kids?

I wouldn't mind if she won, but not for the reasons she has. Kids should not have marketing targeting them.
 
J

Jason's Ultimatum

Member
Good for her. Prevent her from being an XXL when she grows up.

I work at Sports Authority in the clothing department and you wouldn't believe how fat everyone is that walks in and buys XXL for men. For women, they come up to me or call asking if we carry XXL to which I tell them we don't.
 
T

thelooseteeth

Member
Solution: every time your child wants to eat something unhealthy, just by them a toy instead. Eventually, the problem will take care of itself.
 
T

trinest

Member
I agree shes stupid- but at the same time- one of the requests is low callery meals- America doesn't do salads and apples etc. in happy meals?
 
D

DarthWoo

I'm glad Grandpa porked a Chinese Muslim
Ether_Snake said:
Well isn't it illegal to make advertising that targets kids?

I wouldn't mind if she won, but not for the reasons she has. Kids should not have marketing targeting them.
Click to expand...

Do you watch much TV at all? Well, to be fair I suppose most of said advertising wouldn't be on during the shows we'd be watching.

trinest said:
I agree shes stupid- but at the same time- one of the requests is low callery meals- America doesn't do salads and apples etc. in happy meals?
Click to expand...

They have the options for apples instead of fries, and milk or juice instead of soda, but the basic three choices are still the same for the main part (hamburger, cheeseburger, nuggets).
 
R

rainking187

Member
get rid of the enticing trinkets.
Click to expand...

Fuck that shit. And whatever happened to the Halloween buckets they used to have?

trinest said:
I agree shes stupid- but at the same time- one of the requests is low callery meals- America doesn't do salads and apples etc. in happy meals?
Click to expand...

You don't win friends with salad.
 
T

tiff

Banned
CharlieDigital said:
Why? For actually standing up against the marketing of unhealthy foods targeted at kids by using toys which have, of late, sometimes contained near toxic levels of cadmium?
Click to expand...
There are probably better ways to keep your kids from eating McDonalds than going to court.

Like not buying them McDonalds.
 
C

ChocolateCupcakes

Member
trinest said:
I agree shes stupid- but at the same time- one of the requests is low callery meals- America doesn't do salads and apples etc. in happy meals?
Click to expand...

Yeah, they still have that healthier option like apple slices and lowfat milk and stuff.
 
X

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
trinest said:
I agree shes stupid- but at the same time- one of the requests is low callery meals- America doesn't do salads and apples etc. in happy meals?
Click to expand...
There's an option for apples instead of fries with Happy Meals. Same with the meals at BK and many other fast food places these days. If we have to stop at such a place for our kids, we always get them that option, along with milk instead of juice or soda, and the smallest portion of nuggets available (usually 4).
 
M

Manos: The Hans of Fate

Banned
Ether_Snake said:
Well isn't it illegal to make advertising that targets kids?

I wouldn't mind if she won, but not for the reasons she has. Kids should not have marketing targeting them.
Click to expand...

ussflagg.jpg



No, besides when the toys are this awesome they should...man I loved that set.
 
Meus Renaissance

Meus Renaissance

Member
Palin has to connect everything to 'the government'. Seriously, I come in to read about a mother and a fast food chain, and Palin cites the government as the ones behind MacDonalds' marketing? Surprised she hasn't blamed the Star Trek plot on the government
 
S

Sew

Member
I'm usually one to roll my eyes about ridiculous litigation. But I think there's something here that needs to be acknowledged. Marketers are evil. McDonalds is resonsible for some of the most ingenious and insidious marketing out there, designed to create strong impressions on young minds before they've even started developing. And Happy Meals are the flagship of their marketing machine.

Obviously the buck stops with parental responsibility. But McDonalds does manipulate children. She speaks the truth.
 
R

rainking187

Member
Ether_Snake said:
Well isn't it illegal to make advertising that targets kids?

I wouldn't mind if she won, but not for the reasons she has. Kids should not have marketing targeting them.
Click to expand...

Wut? Then explain the toy industry.
 
C

CharlieDigital

Banned
salva said:
What does the toxicity level of toys have anything to do with this?
Click to expand...
* Advertise toys to kids to lure them nag parents to buy meals
* Meal is not healthy
* Toy may also contain toxic levels of cadmium

Not a problem to you?
 
T

tiff

Banned
Sew said:
I'm usually one to roll my eyes about ridiculous litigation. But I think there's something here that needs to be acknowledged. Marketers are evil. McDonalds is resonsible for some of the most ingenious and insidious marketing out there, designed to create strong impressions on young minds before they've even started developing. And Happy Meals are the flagship of their marketing machine.

Obviously the buck stops with parental responsibility. But McDonalds does manipulate children. She speaks the truth.
Click to expand...
All marketing is manipulative. That's its purpose.

Do you think marketing to children should be banned?
 
C

ColtraineGF

Member
trinest said:
I agree shes stupid- but at the same time- one of the requests is low callery meals- America doesn't do salads and apples etc. in happy meals?
Click to expand...
Well, McDonalds has a few options for Happy Meals. For example, you can forgoe the hamburger/cheeseburger, get apple slices instead of fries, and get lowfat milk/apple juice instead of a small soda/other drink.

Also, every restaurant (In New York at least) has the calorie count of every item right on the menu, so I'm not sure why she can't choose a lower-calorie option if she feels like it.

Also, isn't like all children's advertising targeting children? Who else would they target?
 
R

RDreamer

Member
Her 6-year-old daughter Maya especially likes the toys that come with McDonald's Happy Meals. With a smile, the first grader says opening a Happy Meal is like "a birthday present."
Click to expand...

Her kid clearly gets it, so why doesn't the mom? You don't give your kid a birthday present every day or even every week or even every month for obvious reasons. You also don't give them a Happy Meal every day or every week or every month for what should also be obvious reasons. Yes they want it, but as a parent you have the power to limit that and make it just a special occasion. A Happy Meal once in a while doesn't hurt anyone.
 
B

Broken Arrow

Member
What a fucking stupid bitch this woman is.

Don't want your stupid kids to eat at McDonald's? DON'T TAKE THEM.

I hate this kind of people that put blame in everyone except themselves...
 
Blackace

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
captmcblack said:
People are so fucking dumb.

Solution: DON'T BUY THE KID MCDONALDS; DISCIPLINE AND FEED YOUR CHILD
Click to expand...

Me: Dad I really want a cheeseburger!

Dad: Not tonight son, your mom is going to cook.

Me: But daaaad...

Dad: Boy! Don't start!

Me: *shuts up*
 
Tornado Condor

Tornado Condor

Member
CharlieDigital said:
* Advertise toys to kids to lure them nag parents to buy meals
* Meal is not healthy
* Toy may also contain toxic levels of cadmium

Not a problem to you?
Click to expand...
Parents should discipline their children. The toxicity level is another argument so don't bring that shit up.
 
Blackace

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
Manos: The Hans of Fate said:
ussflagg.jpg



No, besides when the toys are this awesome they should...man I loved that set.
Click to expand...

I asked for that every Christmas for like 7 years.. I should write my dad an email asking for it this year
 
S

Shogmaster

Member
ITT: single gamers delusional about how easy it is to be a parent.

BTW, I'm single too, but I have seen plenty of my buddies suffer through parenthood. It ain't easy, kids.
 
B

Big Baybee

Member
Like, even though they are advertising to kids, no one is fucking forcing them to stuff unhealthy shit down their kids throat. Be a parent and make good decisions. Dumb.
 
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