...OBESITY AND LAWSUITS Today, one of the rising problems in the United States is Obesity along with other heart diseases. America has been considered one of the fattest countries, poor eating habits and absence of exercise greatly contributes to these health problems. Critics blame fast food restaurants for the problem. In addition, they claim that their foods are unhealthy because of the excessive grams of fat that are in the burgers and other foods that they serve. But these restaurants serve food to people who chose to buy their products, whether consumers purchase these foods or not, it's a decision that they made. Consumers should not be too eager to place the blame on fast food companies they are responsible for their own health. The purpose of this paper is to show that people who sue fast food companies are not cautious about what they eat; they should be responsible for their own actions instead of suing food companies. John Bhanzaf is one of the most popular lawyers who pressed charges against Mc Donald's. He was known for winning a 280 billion settlement from a tobacco company, and now he's after fast food companies. The lawsuit was filed by Ashley Pelman, a minor, Roberta Pelman, Ashley's mother and Jazlen Bradley accompanied by her father Israel Bradley. Their claim was that Mc Donalds did not inform their customers the ingredients they use and the effects of eating their fast food products which they promote to be healthy. (Banzaf) Along with this claim they...
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...SWOT Analysis for McDonald’s Yolanda Jennings Columbia Southern University Abstract This paper explores the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) of McDonald’s. The analysis will list several examples of each. Strengths: 1. Strong brand name, image and reputation: The image of McDonald’s is recognized everywhere whether it be from the golden arches that light up the sky or the face of Ronald McDonald. It is the number one fast food company by sales, with more than 31,000 restaurants in over 120 countries. 2. Partnership with the best brands: McDonald’s offers the most popular brands in its restaurants. Companies such as Coca Cola, Dannon Yogurt and Heinz Ketchup are among the few that have ventured into business with them. 3. More than 80% of restaurants are owned by independent franchisees. This opens the market for future restaurants in more places which equates to more profits for the company.. 4. Children targeting: McDonald’s successfully targets very young children through its offering of playgrounds on the premises, toys with its meals and advertisements on billboards and in commercials. The toys they select are chosen based on the most current trends in movies, television shows and games. 5. Locations: Not only are there locations on public streets but McDonald’s has partnered with Wal-Mart, airports and theme parks to take advantage of highly frequented places. Weaknesses: 1. Unhealthy food menu: Although...
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...Grantham University Abstract Should businesses be held liable for negative effects of their products on the very customer who chooses to buy it? In Pelman vs. McDonalds is a cause that was brought on behalf of a group of young people who claim that McDonald’s food is responsible for their obesity and ill health. The courts dismissed the case, but it brings up many correlations with the lawsuits against the tobacco industry and the questions of responsibility of marketers. Introduction In August of 2002 a lawsuit against the McDonalds Corporation was brought forward on behalf of a group of overweight children. The lawsuit alleged that McDonald’s food was responsible for their obesity and ill health. The plaintiffs allege that McDonalds falsely claimed to have healthier options, all the while pushing the upsizing of their more well-known items. (Mello, Rimm, & Studdert, 2015). Should a company be responsible to advise the consumers of the possible negative effects of their products? Should companies who fail to provide the facts to their customers be held legally responsible for the outcome? McDonalds In Pelman vs. McDonalds the complainants had some uphill battles with proving their obesity and ill-health were directly related to McDonald’s food. In the complaint it was alleged that McDonalds was negligent by failing to warn customers of the side effects of their products. The complaint also states that McDonalds fraudulently represented they offered healthier food options and marketed...
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...increasing amount of Americans are gaining weight and much of this blame is put on fast food establishments such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, and Krystal’s, to name a few. According to Warren Belasco and Philip Scranton (2002), “The increasing consumption of convenience foods is an international trend influenced by changing lifestyles” (p. 3) From a superficial perspective, this doesn’t seem like much of a problem. However, Robert Jeffery and Simone French (1998), authors of the article Epidemic Obesity in the United States: Are Fast Food and Television Viewing Contributing? assert that “Obesity is an important public health problem that, in recent years, has reached epidemic proportions” (p. 277). In fact, some are calling the problem the “obesity epidemic.” Several lawsuits against fast food establishments have been filed by those who are overweight. It’s a serious problem, one that cannot be ignored. Before anyone assumes that it’s just the United States, think again. With the increasing number of fast food establishments in countries other than the United States, such as China, Japan, and Brazil, so are obesity rates. The obesity epidemic can no longer be ignored and must be solved. While the problem is known, the source of it is not and must be traced. What exactly is the source of obesity? Many people believe it to be fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Krystals, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell. After all, are they not the ones distributing...
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...Nick Desai 22 November 2011 Obesity: Is it a McProblem? Everyone eats fast food. It is a meal that is usually fast, cheap, and convenient. However, eating fast food also contributes to one of the biggest problems facing Americans today, obesity. It is one of the fastest growing concerns and a major contributor to this problem is the consumption of fast food. While governments and communities are trying to address the problem through legislation, nothing will change until parents take a more active role in promoting the health of their children, therefore, not all the blame for American obesity is on fast food consumption. Obesity is one of the fastest growing health concerns in the U.S. In America, only one out of the fifty states has a B.M.I under twenty-five, the number that is considered to be the benchmark for determining overweightness (BMI Index by State). The number of obese children and adults has tripled and doubled, respectively since 1980 (Obesity at a Glance). “Research from a national health survey shows that an astonishing sixty-five percent of American adults are either overweight or obese” (Loonin 14). Obesity has had a profound impact on the youth population of the world, as the percentage of overweight adolescents and children has risen over twelve percent since 1970*. If this trend is to continue, it is even projected that by the year 2030, one half of the American population will be overweight (Half of Americans to be Obese by 2030). As...
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...Issues: Obesity 64% of American adults are overweight or obese (Baron, p20). Economists took into consideration several factors: calorie intake, BMI, and work activities. These factors contribute to the failure to provide nutritional information about menu items (McDonald’s has recently added nutritional information on each item on the menu). The news media gave significant coverage to the fast food and obesity issues; therefore the issue became the subject of films, jokes, and recently our nation’s first lady (Michelle Obama) and Beyonce. “ The Menu Education and Labeling Act (MEAL) stated that the name of the food on any menu, the number of calories, grams of saturated fat plus tans fat, and milligrams of sodium contained in a serving of the food be present on every menu.” (MEAL) Filmmaking Activism A film was made to bring attention to obesity, and McDonald’s was the target. The filmmaker focused on McDonald’s for 30 days for all of his meals and gained 25 pounds, and later received health warnings from his doctor (San Francisco Chronicle). “In response to the film, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) supported preparation of a film by Soso Whaley in which for two 30 day periods she ate only at McDonald’s. She lost 18 pounds by controlling her calorie intake. The CEI stated, Whatley’s documentary project, focusing on personal responsibility, obesity, and public health, is taking on the increasing victim mentality being fostered by public health activists and the...
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...Tarnesha Covington Student 212303 DBA 7035-Business, Government, and Society Dr. Robert Roberson The Nonmarket Environment of McDonald’s Case Study #1 DBA 7035-Business, Government, and Society Case Study #1 1. Characterize the four I’s. a) Issues: McDonald’s Restaurant chain has faced over 17 nonmarket issues all affecting the industry financially, economically, and medically. McDonald’s has rendered a policy of health and welfare for all of its international consumers to combat all epidemic diseases that derive from obesity and promote a society of healthier living. This franchise encountered many law suits, brand/ food changes, and government infractions in order to improve the wellbeing of the consumers and reputation of the company. McDonald’s main issue is the health issue, which was imposed by the public media and company agencies indicating the dangers of fast food and the obesity rate of the economy. b) Interest: The consumers have the largest interest in McDonalds’ when it comes to the level of obesity in America. They were targeted because of the increased calorie intake individuals were consuming which led to an overall increase in their daily body mass index (BMI). Congress advocated to McDonald’s to apply changes to their menu and the way they advertised. They wanted these changes to target children and promote a healthier eating lifestyle. Throughout the century different economy epidemics have hit the environment. Each time...
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...drink. Out of all of the fast food restaurants in the United States, there are two companies that comes to mind that are the biggest chains in the country. Those two fast food chains are Burger King and McDonald’s. These two companies own more than half of the fast food market in the U.S. With that said, in the past couple of years there has been concern over the obesity rate in the United States. People believe that fast food is a factor because of how easy it is to get it and the price range of it. Because of the perceptions of fast food, every one is looking to the biggest fast food chains to set the example and make their menus healthier. McDonald’s and Burger King are the two fast food chains trying to convert their menu to provide healthier foods, each in their own way. Before looking at the menus of both fast food chains, one has to understand the history. What made them who they are today? How was it created? When did it go public? The first restaurant is McDonald’s. In 1937, Patrick McDonald opened “The Airdome”, which was a food stand in Monrovia, California. Hamburgers were ten cents and all you can drink. In 1940, his two sons, Maurice and Richard, brought the food stand from their father and moved the entire operation 40 miles and changed the name to “McDonald’s Bar-B-Q” and served 25 barbecued items on their menu. In October 1948, the brothers realized that most of their profits came from selling hamburgers so they closed down the establishment. On December...
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...Hannah Johnson Deborah Lang ENG-W 131 25 March 2015 The Reality of Fast Food Fast food chains are anywhere and everywhere. You cannot drive to town without passing at least two or three of these “restaurants.” The concept behind fast food was a good idea, but the results were catastrophic in the health aspect. Now that fast food has become one of the top industries in the world, everything has gone awry. The fast food industry has drastically changed the way people view food, how convenience is rising and the cost for products. Fast food restaurants first started as drive-ins with carhops, but in the 1980’s drive-thru windows began. McDonald’s was one of the first ones to convert from carhops to drive-thru windows. The idea of fast food service brought about a whole new concept to how we view food. Without proper education in the health field typical Americans would not know what their body needs and what they consume. Maybe if that was the case the obesity rate and rates of chronic heart disease would plummet and we could focus on more important problems. When these restaurants began to spring up, it spread like wildfire. Sonic, McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s and etc. all became multi-million dollar companies. They discovered they could mass-produce products that were cheap and that could make them money faster than what they had to been doing before (Super-Size Me). Fast food has sprung up and become a leading industry because they are focused on quick, cheap food for...
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...Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 1.1 Introduction of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Corporation 2 1.2 Objective of Ethical Audit Report. 2 2.0 Identification of KFC's Ethical Dilemmas 2 2.1 Trans fats 3 2.2 Animal cruelty 3 2.3 Environmental concerns 4 2.4 Wages and working condition 4 3.0 Ranking and evaluation of KFC's responses to its Ethical Dilemmas 6 3.1 Ranking of KFC's Ethical Dilemmas 6 3.2 Major Ethical Theories 7 3.2.1 Teleology 7 3.2.2 Deontology 8 3.2.3 Virtue Ethics 8 3.2.4 Marketing Ethics 9 3.3 Evaluation of KFC's Responses to its Ethical Dilemmas. 9 3.3.1 Trans Fats 9 3.3.2 Animal cruelty 10 4.0 Evaluation of KFC Best Practices 11 4.1 KFC Colonel's Scholar Program 11 4.2 World Hunger Relief, from Hunger to Hope 11 5.0 Recommendation 12 List of Reference 14 APPENDICES 16 Ethical Audit Report on KFC 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Introduction of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Corporation Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Corporation is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain, offering services to more than 12 million customers in 109 countries and territories around the world. KFC operates more than 5,200 restaurants in the United States and more than 15,000 units around the world. KFC began with Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952. Although Sanders died in 1980, Sanders remains an important part of the company's branding and advertisements, and "Colonel Sanders" or "The Colonel" is a metonym for the company itself...
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...services if they do not know they exist. That being said, I believe McDonalds does uphold the basic rights of consumers. Currently, McDonalds displays nutrition facts on all of there food items. That was not always the case. Prior to the movie super size me, and the ensuing lawsuits, McDonalds would offer consumers the option to upgrade their already unhealthy meals to a even larger potion known as super size. This ignored consumer rights because the establishment did not warn customers that they would be consuming nearly half of there daily calories just by having fries. Appropriately, McDonalds no longer tries to gear people towards the unhealthy option of super size and displays nutrition information on all of its products. Therefore it is fitting to state that the major rights of consumers have not always been upheld at McDonalds, but they are taking steps in the right directions. At present, they are making phenomenal strides toward a healthier menu. McDonald's started giving customers the option of choosing apple slices and milk as part of the Happy Meal package. They also began packaging 100-calorie versions of Oreos, Wheat Thins and other healthy treats. Also McDonalds is currently working on removing trans fats from their food. More and more McDonalds is taking gradual steps to making the American consumer more responsible for what they put in their own mouths. Soon, it is very likely that people will no longer be able to blame corporations like McDonalds for obesity because...
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...the fast food drive in. 3. Which corporation is the largest purchaser of potatoes? A. Carl’s Junior B. In ‘N Out C. McDonald’s D. None of the above 4. The top four beef packers control percent of the market. A. 30 B. 50 C. 80 D. 99 5. It takes days for today’s chicken to arrive to market. A. 24 B. 48 C. 70 D. 120 6. After the decline of , many farmers in the South turned to raising chickens. A. tobacco B. corn C. soy D. beef 7. Today’s chickens have difficulty walking/standing because of they have been bred to be heavier. A. True B. False 8. Corporations control farmers because of the the farmers have. A. debt B. ethics C. loyalty D. All of the above 9. A typical chicken grower earns annually. A. $18,000 B. $35,000 C. $65,000 D. $100,000 10. Eric Schlosser, the film narrator and author, purpose in creating Food, Inc. was to determine: A. the politics of food. B. the state of the corn farmers. C. the source of his food. D. how food is marketed. 11. Who is responsible for increasing the efficiency of corn growing? A. Breeders B. Pesticides C. Fertilizers D. All of the above 12. A farm bill codifies the rules of the entire food economy. A. True B. False 13. The average American consumes over 200 lbs of meat, per person annually. A. True B. False 14. Cow’s are preferably fed corn over grain or grass because corn: A. is cheap. B. makes the cows fat. C. Both of the above 15. Which feed decreases the likelihood of intestinal E. coli 0157:H7 in cattle? A. corn B...
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...Contents Executive summary…………………………………………………………………………. 2 Introduction (Company overview)………………………………………………………….. 3 PESTLE Analysis of Fast Food Industry – Australia……………………………………….. 4-6 Financial climate………………………………………………………………………………7-11 The managerial and labor environment……………………………………………………….12 Australian Government Fast Food Regulations………………………………………………13-14 Key players within the industry………………………………………………………………15-17 Key competitors………………………………………………………………………………18-21 Key Consumers……………………………………………………………………………….22-23 Challenges in Entering Australian Markets…………………………………………………..24 Recommendation………………………………………………………………………………25 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………. 26 References………………………………………………………………………………………27 Executive summary The main aim of this report is to show that it is feasible for our KLG enterprise to penetrate into the Australian market. Since KLG restaurant chain has been well established and successful in the local market; Malaysia, we think it’s the time for the enterprise to go international. Or KLG restaurant chain to have foreign direct investments. KLG restaurants is one of the leading fast food restaurants in Malaysia serving variety of fast foods like fried chicken, chicken burgers, French fries and soft drinks as well. According to (Wyld, 2010) “if the franchisor has a well-established home market, they are able to achieve better economies of scale once they expand internationally.” “Economic globalization constitutes integration...
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...McDonald's SWOT analysis and recommendations SWOT Analysis: 1. Strengths: - Strong brand name, image and reputation McDonalds has built up huge brand equity. It is the no 1 fast food company by sales, with more than 31,000 restaurants serving burgers and fries in almost 120 countries. The image of McDonalds is recognized everywhere. This brand is in top ten of the most powerful brand names in the world with Coca-Cola, Nokia or GM. - Large market share McDonalds is considered as the largest player in size and global reach. When Wendy’s or Burgers King are losing market share in 2006, McDonalds still increases its market share. Market share of McDonalds in the recent time is about 19% while Yum!Brands is 9% and both Wendy’s and Burger King is 2%. - Specialized training for managers McDonalds is very serious on training managers. This company has its own program to train managers the most professionally, which is called Hamburger University. As a result, McDonalds has many good managers who can help company development well. - McDonalds Plan to Win McDonalds customer – focused Plan to Win provide a common framework for its global business yet allows for local adaptation. Through the execution of initiatives surrounding the five elements of its Plan to Win – People, Products, Place, Price and Promotion – McDonalds has enhanced the restaurant experience for customers worldwide and grown comparable sales and customer visits in each of the last eight years. This Plan, combined...
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...purchaser of potatoes? A. Carl’s Junior B. In ‘N Out C. McDonald’s D. None of the above 4. The top four beef packers control percent of the market. A. 30 B. 50 C. 80 D. 99 5. It takes days for today’s chicken to arrive to market. Could not find this in the film (even rewound) so ill guess.. A. 24 B. 48 C. 70 D. 120 6. After the decline of , many farmers in the South turned to raising chickens. A. tobacco B. corn C. soy D. beef 7. Today’s chickens have difficulty walking/standing because of they have been bred to be heavier. A. True B. False 8. Corporations control farmers because of the the farmers have. A. debt B. ethics C. loyalty D. All of the above 9. A typical chicken grower earns annually. A. $18,000 B. $35,000 C. $65,000 D. $100,000 10. Eric Schlosser, the film narrator and author, purpose in creating Food, Inc. was to determine: A. the politics of food. B. the state of the corn farmers. C. the source of his food. D. how food is marketed. 11. Who is responsible for increasing the efficiency of corn growing? A. Breeders B. Pesticides C. Fertilizers D. All of the above 12. A farm bill codifies the rules of the entire food economy. A. True B. False 13. The average American consumes over 200 lbs of meat, per person annually. A. True B. False 14. Cow’s are preferably fed corn over grain or grass because corn: A. is cheap. B. makes the cows fat. C. Both of the above 15. Which feed decreases the...
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