McDonald’s announced a settlement on April 26, 2002 over the “vegetarian fries” scandal, read about this PR move by the company in the article McDonald’s Lawsuit - What’s the Story? and McDonald's Lawsuit Fries Vegetarian Nerves.
The discussion of this lawsuit has perhaps done as much damage to the vegetarian movement as McDonald's did by falsely advertising its french fries as vegetarian in the first place. If there is an appeal, the lawsuit may not be finally resolved for a long time.
The take-away? Money and the subsequent lawyers and predatory (or at least scavenger-like) "action/goal/cause groups" show that greed and politics will always trump “goal orientation” for most groups.
“McDonald’s is probably laughing at the whole bunch of us. It has been very divisive of the vegetarian community.” - Freya Dinshah
For less than the price of a day (or few) of advertising on TV, yes that is likely accurate Freya.
McDonald’s has a $2 billion annual advertising budget. About 40% of McDonald's total advertising budget is directed at children. Happy Meals accounted for $3.5 to 5 billion in revenues (figures dated or obscure).
Pinocchio cannot blame the Cat and his henchman for the murder of Grillo, arrogant willful ignorance was the problem.
The question is - can legislation prevent or solve the willful ignorance?
Happy eating!
Happy eating!
I don't think the lawsuit was meant to do anything but bring attention to the fact that beef was used in the fries. They didn't seek to stop the practice and the amount was clearly not meant to be a punishment (I would have thought that covering lawyers fees would have sufficed).
ReplyDeleteThe lawsuit was clearly a scam, it changed nothing, McDs did not actually do anything wrong outside of possibly not being 100% honest about some beef drippings for flavoring and a few employees claiming something was “veg-OK” - from what I did see McDs as a corporation and in it’s advertising never claimed it was veg it was only a few unofficial and likely good intentioned but ignorant workers/managers.
ReplyDeleteA few activist groups fought over the scraps like New Orleans whores over a rich John, giving themselves a black eye in the process.
Lawyers win, and the food continues to be crap, and once again as a vegetarian I am embarrassed by the “movement” understand that the groups are just as worthless and whorish as PETA, NOW, or the NRA...