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San Francisco bans Happy Meal toys

by Sharon Bernstein - Nov. 2, 2010 04:03 PM

Los Angeles Times

LOS ANGELES - San Francisco's Board of Supervisors has voted, by a veto-proof margin, to ban most of McDonald's Happy Meals as they are now served in the restaurants.

The measure will make San Francisco the first major city in the United States to forbid restaurants from offering a free toy with meals that contain more than set levels of calories, sugar and fat.

The ordinance would also require restaurants to provide fruits and vegetables with all meals for children that come with toys.

"We're part of a movement that is moving forward an agenda of food justice," said Supervisor Eric Mar, who sponsored the measure. "From San Francisco to New York City, the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country is making our kids sick, particularly kids from low-income neighborhoods, at an alarming rate. It's a survival issue and a day-to-day issue."

Just after the vote, McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said, "We are extremely disappointed with today's decision. It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for."

The ban, already enacted in a similar measure by California's Santa Clara County, was opposed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who was vying to be lieutenant governor in Tuesday's election. But because the measure was passed by eight votes - one more than needed to override a veto - his opposition doesn't matter unless one of the supervisors changes his or her mind after the promised veto.

Under the ordinance, scheduled to take effect in December 2011, restaurants may include a toy with a meal if the food and drink combined contain fewer than 600 calories, and if less than 35 percent of the calories come from fat.

Over the last few weeks, the proposed ban caused a stir online and on cable television, with supporters arguing that it would help protect children from obesity, and opponents seeing it as the latest example of the nanny state gone wild.

Supervisor Bevan Dufty, whose swing vote provided the veto-proof majority, said critics should not dismiss the legislation as a nutty effort by San Franciscans. "I do believe the industry is going to take note of this. I don't care how much they say, It's San Francisco, they're wacked out there.' "

Proud, the McDonald's spokeswoman, said the city was out of step with the mainstream on the issue.

"Public opinion continues to be overwhelmingly against this misguided legislation," she said. "Parents tell us it's their right and responsibility - not the government's - to make their own decisions and to choose what's right for their children.'

Ironically, the vote was held the same day that McDonald's reintroduced its McRib sandwich nationwide, a pressed pork patty that gets half its calories from fat and has a cult-like legion of fans.

The California Restaurant Association joined McDonald's in opposing the children's meal measure.

Mar said it would lead the fast-food giant and other restaurants to provide healthier food for kids. Already, he said, McDonald's and others are working with the city to develop more nutritional choices.

"McDonald's has been talking to us, and other fast-food representatives have given us suggestions," Mar said.

The ban, he said, was crucial to the fight against childhood obesity and the illnesses that go along with it, including diabetes and the risk of heart problems and stroke. The cost of fighting those diseases, he said, will be in the billions.

"It's astronomical how much it's going to cost if we don't address it," Mar said. "It's incredible the crisis that's going to hit us."

McDonald's is not the only fast-food chain to offer toys with children's meals, but because it is so prominent the company has become a key face of opposition to the ban.

Proud said the company does offer healthier menu options, including apple slices that can be ordered with kids meals instead of French fries. Parents can also order milk or juice instead of soda.

She said in an e-mail that McDonald's has been talking with Mar and others to try to help children make healthy choices.

"We are committed to working with city officials to be part of the solution to help address the very important topic of children's well-being," she said. "We are hopeful that together, we will identify a solution that works well for McDonald's, our customers and the industry as a whole."

Source

San Francisco Moving Toward Ban Of Toys From Most McDonald's Happy Meals

November 3, 2010

by Scott Hensley

In another significant vote on the health front Tuesday, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors took a big step toward an ordinance against restaurants handing out toys as part of junky kids' meals.

Can you say McDonald's Happy Meal? We thought you could.

In an 8-3 vote, the board passed a preliminary version of a new rule that forbids toy freebies with meals that don't meet minimum nutritional standards.

"This is a challenge to the restaurant industry to think about children's health first and join the wide range of local restaurants that have already made this commitment," Supervisor Eric Mar, who introduced the legislation, said in a statement.

How high is the bar? Not as high as you might think.

Here's the lowdown on what kind of meal would qualify.

* Calories: Less than 600

* Sodium: Less than 640 milligram.

* Fat: Less than 35 percent of calories from fat; Less than 10 percent from saturated fat (with exception for nuts, seeds, eggs or low-fat cheese).

Meals would also have to offer fruit or vegetables.

Mayor Gavin Newsom has said he would veto the ordinance. But if a final vote, expected next week, goes like this one, it would be veto-proof.

McDonald's is unhappy. "We are extremely disappointed with this decision," company spokeswoman Danya Proud said in a statement. "It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for."

The fast-food chain says research shows the proposal is "unrealistic" because kids aren't likely to eat the sorts of meals stipulated by the ordinance.

Source

San Francisco Officially Takes The Happy Out Of Happy Meals

By Chris Morran on November 3, 2010

After months of talking about the topic, San Francisco's board of supervisors has gone and done it, approving a measure that would effectively end the sale of most McDonald's Happy Meals -- and most other fast food kids' meals -- within city limits.

The law doesn't ban kids meals outright, but forbids the inclusion of a toy or other prize with meals that don't meet certain standards.

From the Chicago Tribune:

“ Under the ordinance, scheduled to take effect in December 2011, restaurants may include a toy with a meal if the food and drink combined contain fewer than 600 calories, and if less than 35 percent of the calories come from fat....

The ordinance also would require restaurants to provide fruits and vegetables with all meals for children that come with toys. ”

As we reported back in August, this would severely limit McDonald's Happy Meal menu to only include some of its McNugget meals.

Said the supervisor who sponsored the ordinance:

“ We're part of a movement that is moving forward an agenda of food justice... From San Francisco to New York City, the epidemic of childhood obesity in this country is making our kids sick, particularly kids from low income neighborhoods, at an alarming rate. It's a survival issue and a day-to-day issue. ”

A rep for McDonald's said, "We are extremely disappointed with today's decision. It's not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for.... Public opinion continues to be overwhelmingly against this misguided legislation... Parents tell us it's their right and responsibility -- not the government's -- to make their own decisions and to choose what's right for their children."

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom had previously stated his opposition to the law, but it received enough support on the board to override any mayoral veto, lest one of the supervisors has a change of heart.

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San Fran Lawmakers May Wipe the Smile Off Happy Meals

Lisa Flam Contributor

AOL News

(Nov. 3) -- The McDonald's Happy Meal will get a little less happy if San Francisco lawmakers have their way.

By a veto-proof 8-3 margin, the Board of Supervisors approved a proposal Tuesday night that would prohibit fast-food chains like McDonald's from giving away toys with kids' meals that exceed set levels of salt, fat and sugar. And meals with free toys or incentives must include fruit and veggies.

Most Happy Meals, as they're served today, would be banned under the measure, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A proposal in San Francisco would regulate the calories, sodium and fat in kids' meals that include toys, such as McDonald's Happy Meal. The proposal, intended to help fight childhood obesity, still requires a final vote, to be taken next week. If approved, it would take effect in December 2011. Mayor Gavin Newsom has promised a veto, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, but the measure had just enough support to override a veto.

"This is a tremendous victory for our children's health," said the measure's chief sponsor, Supervisor Eric Mar, according to The Chronicle.

McDonald's voiced disappointment with the vote and said the proposal backed in the progressive city is out of step with the mainstream.

"Public opinion continues to be overwhelmingly against this misguided legislation," McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud told the L.A. Times. "Parents tell us it's their right and responsibility -- not the government's -- to make their own decisions and to choose what's right for their children."

The ban is similar to one adopted in nearby Santa Clara County earlier this year that applies to a handful of restaurants, according to The Chronicle. Dozens of fast-food places in San Francisco would be affected by the ordinance, the newspaper said.

The measure allows toy giveaways for meals that have less than 600 calories, less than 640 milligrams of sodium and less than 35 percent of the calories derived from fat, according to The Chronicle. Meals with toys must have at least a half-cup of fruit and three-quarters of a cup of vegetables.

Mar noted that toys would still be allowed if the guidelines are met. "It's not a ban; it's an incentive," Mar told The Chronicle.

Scott Rodrick, who owns 10 McDonald's in the city, said the measure could hurt business if customers cross city limits for other McDonald's.

"There will be sales loss, there may be jobs impacted, and I know the city of San Francisco will lose tax income to people wanting a McDonald's experience without government intervention," Rodrick told The Associated Press.

One parent, Concepcion Dawes, 20, supported the ordinance as a way to reduce the appeal of calorie-laden food.

"Fast food is really fattening, and it's really addicting, and sometimes it's hard to tell a child no," Dawes, who has a 2-year-old, told AP.