Tuesday, June 22, 2010

McDonald's Threatened With Lawsuit for Pairing Toys With Happy Meals

Food Industry Watchdog Group Calls Marketing Toys With Junk Food 'Illegal'


By LAUREN COX

A food industry watchdog group is threatening to take McDonald's to court over its practice of including toys with Happy Meals.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest announced Tuesday that it will file a lawsuit against McDonald's, calling the practice of marketing toys with junk food "illegal" under consumer protection laws in Massachusetts, Texas, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and California.

"Dangling a toy in front of a kid to try to get them into your restaurant is unfair and deceptive, because it's targeted at kids who are what? Four years old? Six years old? Who don't even understand the concept of advertising," Michael Jacobson, executive director of CSPI, said in an interview with ABC News' Yunji de Nies...