CHICAGO — McDonald’s defended its Happy Meals on Wednesday against claims by a consumer-advocacy group, with McDon ald’s chief executive Jim Skinner saying, “Happy Meals are a fun treat, with right-sized, quality food choices.”
The company’s statement comes a week after the Center for Science in the Public Interest sent a letter to McDonald’s threatening to sue if the company didn’t stop using toys to market Happy Meals to young children.
The CSPI said Happy Meals lead children to develop a lifelong habit of eating meals that are “too high in calories, saturated fat, added sugars and sodium, and devoid of whole grains.” In addition, the CSPI said none of the 24 Happy Meal combinations listed on McDonald’s website meet the 430 calories lunch target, one-third of the 1,300-calorie recommended daily intake for children ages 4 to 8.
McDonald’s said it offers parents choices and variety in Happy Meals and “makes available in-depth, comprehensive nutrition information.” It emphasized that parents are fully capable of making their own decisions when it comes to feeding their children. Chicago Tribune
