San Francisco restricts McDonald’s Happy Meal toys

San Francisco restricts McDonald’s Happy Meal toys

The Board of Supervisors of the city of San Francisco on Tuesday passed a city ordinance prohibiting restaurants to give away free toys with unhealthy meals such as the famous McDonald’s Happy Meals.

The board voted 8 to 3 in favor of the new law which will take effect on December 1, 2011.

The new law sets a maximum of 600 calories in restaurant servings which also must contain ample amounts of fruits and vegetables with drinks containing moderate amounts of sugar.

McDonald’s Corp. and the National Restaurant Association criticized the passage of the law saying that it would not be beneficial to all parties concerned.

“We are extremely disappointed with today’s decision. It’s not what our customers want, nor is it something they asked for,” McDonald’s spokesperson Danya Proud said in a statement. “Getting a toy with a kid’s meal is just one part of a fun, family experience at McDonald’s.”

Proponents of the legislation hailed the decision, saying that is a step in the right direction to promote healthier diets.

“Our children are sick. Rates of obesity in San Francisco are disturbingly high, especially among children of color,” said San Francisco supervisor Eric Mar. “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,” he added.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that up to 15 percent of American kids are either obese or overweight. Obesity rates in some states have gone as high as 30 percent.

McDonald’s launched its Happy Meal packages in 1979 which have since become a hit among kids and their families with toys like “Shrek” and the “Transformers.”

Posted by George Daniels on Friday November 05 2010, 5:20 AM EDT. Ref: Reuters. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0