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McDonald's Facing Lawsuit Over Happy Meal Toys

Chain "is the stranger in the playground handing out candy, says watchdog

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff | Suggested by Disillusioned

Posted Jun 23, 2010 12:43 AM CDT

(Newser) – A public health watchdog says it's going to sue McDonald's if it doesn't stop luring children into unhealthy eating habits by handing out toys with Happy Meals. The chain "is the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children," a director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest said, promising a lawsuit if McDonald's doesn't ditch the toys within 30 days. "It's a creepy and predatory practice that warrants an injunction."

The group slammed McDonald's "unfair and deceptive" marketing aimed at children, the Los Angeles Times reports. McDonald's rejected the group's accusations, stressing that the Happy Meals are "right-sized for kids" and children have the option of choosing apple slices instead of fries and juice instead of soda. Toys "are just one part of a fun, family experience at McDonald's," a spokesman said.

The watchdog group blames McDonald's marketing for rising childhood obesity.
The watchdog group blames McDonald's marketing for rising childhood obesity.   (Getty Images)
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McDonald's use of toys undercuts parental authority and exploits young children's developmental immaturity. - Stephen Gardner, litigation director
for the Center for Science
in the Public Interest

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 29 comments
JohnEd
Jun 24, 2010 1:48 PM CDT
Why not the 'food'?
Nope, sorry.
Jun 23, 2010 3:41 PM CDT
"McDonald's use of toys undercuts parental authority and exploits young children's developmental immaturity." No. "Undercutting their authority" would be walking up to the kid and *handing* them the toy after the parent said, "no toy". The parent still has the authority to say no, but they'd have to deal with a screaming temper-tantrum. Guess what? That's the *parents'* problem. If you didn't want to have to deal with tantrums, or be "the bad guy" quite often, then you shouldn't have had kids. That's part of the deal. It's not someone else's responsibility to make your job as a parent easier. And this is how those kids will be raised....blame everyone else but yourself for the fact that you're inept. Generations of Americans are being raised to be THOSE kinds of people. Great.
LuxBailey93
Jun 23, 2010 12:40 PM CDT
I think this is a load of bulls**t I really do. First parents went overboard babysitting their kids and now watch-dog groups have to babysit the parents? Next thing you know aliens will babysit the government. Toys do not make kids fat. You don't want your little 5 year old kid eating Mcdonalds? Don't f**king buy it form them. And by the time they're 13-14 years old they should be mature enough by that point to be in charge of what goes in their bodies. All of you overly controlling worry all-the-time parents need to get a life and stop coming down on people trying to make money or be nice to kids and give them a fun toy with their happy meal. Stop trying to take the happy out of happy meal. Sheesh.
 

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