McDonald's fails to stop vouchers handed to kids

by Gemma Charles, Marketing 15-Apr-08, 08:40

LONDON - McDonald's has once again been caught distributing cut-price Big Mac vouchers to schoolchildren, one month after vowing to crack down on the practice.

Last month, the company pledged to launch an investigation, after Richard Watts, campaign co-ordinator of Sustain's Children's Food Campaign, spotted the vouchers being handed to children in school uniforms in a North London branch.

It has now emerged that an East London outlet is also giving the vouchers, which do not carry a disclaimer prohibiting under-16s from using them, to children.

A franchisee told Marketing there had been no advice from head office with regard to vouchers, but a spokeswoman said the company does not condone vouchers being given to minors, and claimed this was communicated to franchisees and business managers last month.

'This restaurant had been giving out old versions of the vouchers, which do not make clear that the offer is for over-16s,' she said, adding that 'appropriate action' is being taken.