‘Not responsible marketing’: Parents group lashes McDonald’s for kids book giveaway
McDonald’s has come under fire from a parents’ group for a promotion it claims is encouraging children to eat more fast food to collect books.
Healthy eating lobby group The Parent’s Jury has taken aim at McDonalds’ Happy Reader promotion, which encourages children to collect Happy Meal token in return for books, noting that to collect all 10 books and 16 digital readers a child would need to consume 23 Happy Meals in just eight weeks.
McDonalds has responded branding the claim “ridiculous” and adding there are healthy versions of Happy Meals available.
Kids like maccers… it’s the parents that need to apply the necessary restraint
McDonald’s management still trying to slow their slumping profits by gimmicks and promotions. Still ignoring the major reason people have turned away – Unhealthy, ugly food and a lack of genuine transparency of ingredients and where they are sourced.
Polish a turd all you like, it’s still a turd. (and stop trying to trick our children in to eating them.)
Seriously Parents Jury! I think parents should be responsible for some actual parenting…I have to say ‘no’ to my kids about a lot of things…in fact every time we do groceries or visit a mall. We only go to Maccas when we are travelling – but I’d much rather they have books as part of a Happy Meal than the pieces of plastic junk normally associated with the product.
What about parental discretion, control and discipline?
Just say no, and take the children to the library and buy an apple. Simple.
All kids should have equal rights to obesity and diabetes.
Many families go weekly, and three kids would mean you have them all in that time. 2 kids and one of the parents same result. Maybe it will help have the parents eat smaller portions…
I liken these troll’s to the Taxi industry defenders who pop up on every UBER article.
The vast majority of kids who eat Macca’s are the ones who’s parents read Murdoch’s tripe, listen to Alan Jones and watch take Channel 9 news seriously. Similar to the lot over the pond in the US, who think that Fox News is ‘news’.
These parents voted in Abbott ffs. You cannot blame the parents, we need responsible corporations.
Blaming parents who cant help themselves, is not the answer. This is a society issue.
Good grief. How exactly do some of these people manage to breathe and walk all at the same time by themselves?
They are giving them books!! – isn’t that a GOOD thing? Anything that gets kids reading and having a love for books at an early age must be a good thing. And if you can’t say No to your children – I’d suggest parenting classes.
Once upon a time, I was the Daddy in a little family along with a Mummy, and four children; two little girls and two little boys.
The children loved all kinds of fast foods, fizzy drinks, and lollies, but they only ever got to eat most of them on special occasions, and some of them on only vary rare occasions, because Mummy and I would not allow them to eat the products on a regular basis or in large quantities.
The store keepers wanted all little children to come to the store often and participate in promotional games and freebies, because it was their duty to promote the brands they sold, but Mummy and I said No, because we were the parents, and it was the parents duty to guide the children, not the duty of the store owners or company managers.
Wow as if a “dora” book is even an enticement. Shit books to go with Shit food. I’m all for the library!
I cannot imagine the advertising is aimed at the kids, surely its for the parents and a way in which they can enjoy a meal and also maybe read as well….
Win Win if you ask me… Well Done Macca’s, I will for sure be taking up the offer…
It might even kill two birds – dinner done & homework done….
Can someone explain to me why McDonald’s should be uniquely disallowed from supporting a literacy program that inspires and makes sense to their business strategically?
Are they thus obliged to only give away stupid plastic toys that don’t inspire?
I’m going to be controversial and not bash Maccas here. A family with more than 2 kids would need to eat there once a week to get this. They could choose healthy options in the meal and they would get their kids to read more. McDonald’s have a right to run marketing campaigns.
Corporations don’t have ethics. But people do. Take control of your own family’s health.
@tex but presumably the people who work at the corporations do. See the flaw in your overly simplistic argument?
This is the way that Macca’s have marketed to kids for years, what is the difference between a plastic collectable toy and a book! As a mother of two, this would not drive me into maccas, our house is already full of books !
Not a pro Macca’s agenda Troll…you’re serious right?
PS ‘who’s’ parents? Maybe you need those Macca’s books for yourself
If you don’t like Macca’s, don’t go there. If you do go there for the occasional treat with your kids and you order a Happy Meal which could include a wrap, apples and water, your kids will now be able to read a book with it. Shock horror. Don’t want to use the app? Don’t use it!
Parents have a responsibility to parent their own children and not put the primary responsibility of childrens’ health into the hands of others, whether those others be other people or corporations.
Corporations have a responsibility to their stakeholders. It’s simple. Let’s get over it and stop blaming the world around us.
These two can operate
@Fact McDonalds PR company pay well?
Fact – “Corporations have a responsibility to their stakeholders.”
Agreed. Their customers and the community are their most important stakeholders. A promotion that entices kids to eat more of their unhealthy product is irresponsible. Even more insidious (imo) is the Macca’s brand creeping into the reading experience itself.
its a free country, if yah want to eat maccas every night, get obese, and not be able to walk and breathe and do simple life actions you do you but if yah wanna eat veggies and go gym every spare minute you have then so be it. fuck the system