McDonald's spend over $1.8 billion every year worldwide on advertising and promotions, trying to
cultivate an image of being a 'caring' and 'green' company that is also a fun place to eat. Children are
lured in (dragging their parents behind them) with the promise of toys and other gimmicks. But behind
the smiling face of Ronald McDonald lies the reality - McDonald's only interest is money, making
profits from whoever and whatever they can, just like all multinational companies. McDonald's
Annual Reports talk of 'Global Domination' - they aim to open more and more stores across the
globe - but their continual worldwide expansion means more uniformity, less choice and the
undermining of local communities.
PROMOTING UNHEALTHY FOOD
McDonald's promote their food as 'nutritious', but the reality is that it is junk food - high in fat,
sugar and salt, and low in fibre and vitamins. A diet of this type is linked with a greater risk of
heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases. Their food also contains many chemical
additives, some of which may cause ill-health, and hyperactivity in children. Don't forget too
that meat is the cause of the majority of food poisoning incidents. In 1991 McDonald's were
responsible for an outbreak of food poisoning in the UK, in which people suffered serious
kidney failure. With modern intensive farming methods, other diseases - linked to chemical
residues or unnatural practices - have become a danger to people too (such as BSE).
EXPLOITING WORKERS
Workers in the fast food industry are paid low wages. McDonald's do not pay overtime rates
even when employees work very long hours. Pressure to keep profits high and wage costs low
results in understaffing, so staff have to work harder and faster. As a consequence, accidents
(particularly burns) are common. The majority of employees are people who have few job
options and so are forced to accept this exploitation, and they're compelled to 'smile' too! Not
surprisingly staff turnover at McDonald's is high, making it virtually impossible to unionise and
fight for a better deal, which suits McDonald's who have always been opposed to Unions.
ROBBING THE POOR
Vast areas of land in poor countries are used for cash crops or for cattle ranching, or to grow
grain to feed animals to be eaten in the West. This is at the expense of local food needs.
McDonald's continually promote meat products, encouraging people to eat meat more often,
which wastes more and more food resources. 7 million tons of grain fed to livestock produces
only 1 million tons of meat and by-products. On a plant-based diet and with land shared fairly,
almost every region could be self-sufficient in food.
DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT
Forests throughout the world - vital for all life - are being destroyed at an appalling rate by
multinational companies. McDonald's have at last been forced to admit to using beef reared on
ex-rainforest land, preventing its regeneration. Also, the use of farmland by multinationals and
their suppliers forces local people to move on to other areas and cut down further trees.
McDonald's are the world's largest user of beef. Methane emitted by cattle reared for the beef
industry is a major contributor to the 'global warming' crisis. Modern intensive agriculture is
based on the heavy use of chemicals which are damaging to the environment.
Every year McDonald's use thousands of tons of unnecessary packaging, most of which ends
up littering our streets or polluting the land buried in landfill sites.
MURDERING ANIMALS
The menus of the burger chains are based on the torture and murder of millions of animals.
Most are intensively farmed, with no access to fresh air and sunshine, and no freedom of
movement. Their deaths are barbaric - 'humane slaughter' is a myth. We have the choice to eat
meat or not, but the billions of animals massacred for food each year have no choice at all.
CENSORSHIP and McLIBEL
Criticism of McDonald's has come from a huge number of people and organisations over a
wide range of issues. In the mid-1980's, London Greenpeace drew together many of those
strands of criticism and called for an annual World Day of Action against McDonald's. This
takes place every year on 16th October, with pickets and demonstrations all over the world.
McDonald's, who spend a fortune every year on advertising, are trying to silence world-wide
criticism by threatening legal action against those who speak out. Many have been forced to
back down because they lacked the money to fight a case. But Helen Steel and Dave Morris,
two supporters of London Greenpeace, defended themselves in a major UK High Court libel
trial. No legal aid is available so they represented themselves. McDonald's engaged in a huge
cover up, refusing to disclose masses of relevant documents. Also, the defendants were denied
their right to a jury. Despite all the cards being stacked against them, Helen and Dave turned
the tables and exposed the truth by putting McDonald's business practices on trial. Protests
against the $30 billion a year fast-food giant continue to grow. It's vital to stand up to
intimidation and to defend free speech.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Together we can fight back against the institutions and the people in power who dominate our
lives and our planet, and we can create a better society without exploitation. Workers can and
do organise together to fight for their rights and dignity. People are increasingly aware of the
need to think seriously about the food we and our children eat. People in poor countries are
organising themselves to stand up to multinationals and banks which dominate the world's
economy. Environmental and animal rights protests and campaigns are growing everywhere.
Why not join in the struggle for a better world. Talk to friends and family, neighbours and
workmates about these issues. Please copy and circulate this leaflet as widely as you can.
Please send me more information. I enclose ______ pounds donation to the campaign.
Name: ________________________________ Address:
___________________________________
______________________________________________________ Phone:
____________________
Greenpeace (London), 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DX, UK.
Tel 0171 837 7557 or 0171 713 1269.
