- Salads were added to the McDonald's menu for commercial
reasons and not because of concerns about customers' health, the UK chief
executive admitted yesterday.
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- Andrew Taylor said the biggest change to the fast food
giant's range since it arrived in the UK 30 years ago was about giving
customers what they want rather than a move to help address the growing
problem of obesity.
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- His comments came as health campaigners warned that some
of the new Salads Plus options may not be as virtuous as they first appear.
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- A crispy chicken caesar salad with dressing and croutons,
priced £3.49, has 530 calories, 30 grams of fat and 4.1 grams of
salt per portion.
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- A Big Mac, in comparison, has 493 calories, 22.9g of
fat and 2.25g of salt.
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- Admitting McDonald's was currently the "bete noir"
of the obesity debate, Mr Taylor said: "We have not developed Salads
Plus as chaff to deflect attention away from McDonald's. We have done it
because we think there is a big commercial opportunity in doing it. It
is what our customers are telling us they want."
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- He added: "I go into our restaurants often and see
mums sitting there, with the kids, not eating because mum does not want
a quarter pounder with cheese. But mum is quite happy to eat a grilled
chicken salad."
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- Mr Taylor, who met Gillian Kynoch, Scotland's food and
health co-ordinator, to discuss the shake-up yesterday, admitted people
"may well think" the salads are healthier.
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- Nick Hindle, head of corporate affairs for McDonald's
UK, added: "Nowhere will you see McDonald's saying it's a healthier
alternative. It is a broadening of the menu."
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- Guidelines suggest women should consume no more than
2000 calories, 70g of fat and 5g of salt per day. For men the levels are
2500 calories, 95g of fat and 7g of salt.
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- Doctors have warned if current trends continue at least
a third of all UK adults will be obese by 2020.
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- In response to concerns about high levels of salt in
the nation's diet, McDonald's has already announced it is cutting the amount
in fries by 25% and in Chicken McNuggets by 30% over the next three years.
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- Last week, the chain also confirmed it was phasing out
its supersize portions of fizzy drinks and fries in the US.
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- On Saturday, The Herald revealed Glasgow University research
that showed the proportion of fat and saturated fat in some products from
popular sandwich shop chains was higher than in McDonald's burgers.
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- Mr Taylor, saying he felt it was unfair that the chain
was singled out for criticism, expressed his faith in Salads Plus. The
chain is sinking 20% of the 2004 marketing spend into the selection and
predicts that one in five customers will choose something off this menu.
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- Six Scottish stores have already begun selling the range.
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- Amanda Wynne, spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association,
said: "You need to be clear what is and what is not a healthy food.
Although salads are healthy, when you start adding high fat dressings and
croutons, this is no longer the case."
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