Adverts for ‘healthy’ McDonald’s Happy Meals are not all they seem, an obesity conference has heard.
A Liverpool University study found that the children-targeted meals don’t lead to youngsters choosing healthier food, and – in most cases - actually make them like fast food more.
According to Mail Online, the researchers said the findings show the power of McDonald’s branding, and accused the fast food giant of quickly and cleverly getting round advertising rules.
In the study, 59 boys and girls aged between seven and 10 years old were shown a series of adverts for toys.
They were then asked to choose a main course, drink and side order from the options available for McDonald’s Happy Meals – the latter of which includes apple slices and a salad pot, alongside French fries.
The children involved in the study were also asked how much they liked junk food, Mail Online reported.
The process was repeated two weeks later – but this time some of the toy commercials were substituted with ones for McDonald’s.
Despite being shown a Happy Meal made up of fish fingers, fruit and a bottle of water, the majority of youngsters still favoured burgers and fries when asked to choose their own meal.
Plus, the UK Congress on Obesity in Birmingham heard, they said they liked fast food more after seeing the Happy Meal ads.
Researcher Emma Boyland said that showing fruit and water rather than milkshakes and chips meant the commercials “cleverly” complied with regulations on the advertising of food to children.
She added that holes in the rules mean that fatty and sugary food can still be advertised during TV programmes like X Factor, despite them being watched by millions of children.
And according to Mail Online, Dr Boyland said that in an ideal world, all such advertising to children would be banned.
She said: “It sounds extreme to say you shouldn’t advertise to children, but children don’t understand persuasion and advertisers shouldn’t be trying to sway children’s choices.”
A spokesperson for McDonald’s said that it adheres to some of the most stringent marketing regulations in the world, has worked hard to improve its menu, and does not advertise fatty and sugary foods to children.
