McDonald’s to display nutrition information on food

MAKE it a burger, fries and nutritional information to go.

Looking to counter charges that its food is unhealthy and contributes to obesity, McDonald’s has announced that it will display nutrition facts on the packaging for most of its menu items next year.

Patrons of the world’s largest restaurant company will be able to learn the amount of calories and fat, among other information, in a McDonald’s product by looking at the wrapper instead of having to go to its website or ask for it at the counter.

The fast-food industry has been under pressure from consumer groups and the government to provide more nutritional information about its food. McDonald’s and others had previously made calorie count brochures available, resisting calls to do more.

In announcing the latest push to improve its image, McDonald’s said it demonstrates its commitment to promoting balanced, active lifestyles. CEO Jim Skinner also said the move responds to demand by customers, not consumer groups.

The new packaging will be introduced in McDonald’s restaurants in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America starting in the first half of 2006.

McDonald’s has been a magnet for complaints that fast food is unhealthy. It was targeted by the 2003 documentary Supersize Me, which focused on the health risks of an all fast-food diet, and hit with a lawsuit blaming the company for the obesity of teenage customers, although that suit was dismissed.

The packaging information will consist of icons and bar charts displaying how McDonald’s menu items relate to daily recommendations for calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and sodium.

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a non-profit health advocacy group, said McDonald’s should also provide calorie counts on its menu boards.

CSPI executive director Michael F Jacobson said that instead of giving total fat content, McDonald’s should be more specific since its fried foods are high in saturated and trans-fats, which increase the risk of heart disease.