McDonald’s Makes Progress on Commitment to Offer Healthier Options

QSR reports findings as one-year anniversary of removing soft drinks from Happy Meal menu boards approaches.

June 29, 2015

OAK BROOK, Ill.  – As part of its global commitment to improve access to healthier food choices, McDonald’s released the first annual report on its progress, published on June 25 by Keybridge, a Washington, D.C.-based public policy economic consulting firm

According to the progress report:

  • McDonald’s USA sold 21 million more low-fat and fat-free milk jugs and 100% apple juice boxes in the first 11 months in Happy Meals and ala carte after removing the listing of sodas on the Happy Meal section of menu boards compared to the same period a year earlier (July 2014–May 2015).
  • McDonald’s USA sold 161 million tubes of Go-GURT® Low Fat Strawberry Yogurts (July 2014–May 2015) and 38 million Cuties Clementines (November 2014–March 2015) in Happy Meals and ala carte.
  • Since sodas were removed from the Happy Meal section of menu boards, the company has seen a nine percentage point increase in customers selecting milk and juice. Before the change, 37% of customers chose milk and juice; and after, the percentage increased to 46%. During the same period, the percentage of customers selecting soda decreased from 56% to 48%. 
  • McDonald’s USA did not offer a fruit, vegetable or salad option as a substitute for French fries in Extra Value Meals in 2014, but did offer this alternative beginning in January 2015.  An independent survey found that 83% of McDonald’s restaurants were offering this new option by February 2015.
  • In 2014, 14 Happy Meal boxes and bags dedicated a panel to a fun nutrition or children’s well-being message, exceeding the four that were required in order to fulfill the commitment.
  • In 2014, McDonald’s USA included fun nutrition or children’s well-being messages in 100% of its external advertisements directed to children.

Through a partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, McDonald’s Corporation announced a global commitment to increase customers’ access to fruit and vegetables and help families and children make informed choices in keeping with balanced lifestyles at the September 2013 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting.

McDonald’s made five specific commitments in 20 major markets, representing more than 85% of the company’s global sales. The commitment spans through the year 2020 with interim goals in 2016 and 2018 and the final goal of fulfilling all commitments in all 20 markets by 2020.

The five commitments are:

  • Commitment 1: Feature only water, milk and juice as the beverage in Happy Meals on menu boards and in-store and external advertising directed to children. Soda will be available as a beverage option, but it will not be listed on the Happy Meal section of the menu board.
  • Commitment 2: Offer side salad, fruit or vegetable as a substitute for fries in value meals.
  • Commitment 3: Utilize Happy Meal and other packaging innovations and designs to generate excitement for fruit, vegetable, low/reduced fat dairy, or water options for kids; or offer new fruit, vegetable, low/ reduced fat dairy or water option in the Happy Meal.
  • Commitment 4: Dedicate one Happy Meal box or bag panel to communicate a fun nutrition or children’s well-being message (four times annually).
  • Commitment 5: 100% of advertising directed to children to include a fun nutrition or children’s well-being message.

“We’re making progress in areas that matter most to our customers, business and society,” said McDonald’s President and CEO Steve Easterbrook in a press release. “We’ll continue to work with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to offer more choices to our customers around the world.”

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