Conduct online research on the case Pelman v. McDonald's in which it was alleged that McDonald's was partially responsible for the health problems associated with the obesity of children who eat McDonald's fast food. Should McDonald's and other fast food restaurants be judged negligent for selling dangerous products, failing to warn consumers of the dangers of a high fat diet, and deceptive advertising?
The case of Pelman V. McDonald’s was based on the type of food that is served by the fast food restaurant. The main issue was that McDonald’s failed to warn its consumers about the health issues that are associated with the consumption of its products. It was a case filed in 2002 by two teenagers Ashley Pelman and Jazlen Bradley where they accused Mc Donald of marketing their unhealthy foods and deceptively leading them on only to harm their health and to go against the New York law that prohibits any firm from supplying a commodity that may be of harm to the consumers in the long run.
Even though the two teenagers did not win the case as the judge ruled in favour of Mc Donald’s, there is great evidence that the food that is served in those fast food restaurants are causing obesity in children. This is because most of the foods are deep fried and contain a lot of fat and carbohydrates. These meals are usually not accompanied by some health warning to the consumer nor do the restaurants offer a balanced diet in their menu as an option to the customers.
The cases against the fast food restaurants may have not been won in courts of law but have been won in the society. This is because people are more aware of healthy diets and started avoiding eating in such places. This led to decline in sales in the restaurants and this made them change their menu. According to the International Business Times, most of the menus are now revised and include healthy salads and yoghurts that are good for the body and do not cause obesity. Currently there is a 10% increase in the sales in all McDonald’s after they introduced smoothes for the children, apples and apple pies and at the same time an option of salads made from vegetables and fruit.
McDonald’s realized that sales cannot simply be made from feeding people with the easy to make unhealthy foods but they can also be achieved from making people healthy and live better. To me the case was won the minute a new healthier menu was introduced.
References
The case of Pelman v. Mc Donald’s Corp., 02-cv-07821, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, Manhattan
International Business Times."McDonald's Holds down Dollar Meal, Making Menu Healthier". 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
