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Table 1 McDonald’s structure, practices, products and marketing

From: Assessing the health impact of transnational corporations: a case study on McDonald’s Australia

McDonald’s corporate structure

McDonald’s global company is managed under distinct geographic segments. Australian operations are part of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) segment.

McDonald’s political practices

• McDonald’s engages lobbyists, with corporate strategies designed to ensure the least restrictive regulatory environments.

• McDonald’s engages in strategic industry alliances that can help influence regulatory oversight and promote corporate interests over health and wellbeing. This includes the integrated and creative marketing directed to children and young people.

McDonald’s business practices

• McDonald’s range of corporate social responsibility initiatives can contribute to more environmentally sustainable corporate operations with potential for improved population health and welfare.

• McDonald’s alliance with dieticians may contribute to improving the composition of ultra-processed food.

• McDonald’s corporate philanthropy can contribute towards positive health and wellbeing.

• However, McDonald’s influence over government policy via lobbyists and industry representative may compromise obesity prevention.

• McDonald’s taxation strategies undermine governments’ ability to fund health and welfare policies including funding for corporate monitoring and regulation.

• Claims of limited community consultation on new outlet expansion raises concerns over the power imbalance between McDonald’s Australia and local communities.

McDonald’s products and marketing

Products

• McDonald’s menu has evolved to include a range of healthier options.

• However, many of McDonald’s food products are ultra-processed, high in kilojoules, fats, sugar and sodium. These can lead to obesity which carries an increased risk of diabetes, cancers, premature strokes and cardio-vascular disease, a shorter lifespan, and other health and psychological problems.

• Childhood obesity is associated with poor psychological and social wellbeing, poor self-esteem, bullying, anxiety, stigma and depression.

Marketing

• Voluntary advertising codes may help McDonald’s to review marketing strategies However, monitoring of compliance relies on public complaints.

• McDonald’s engages high profile media support which may help strengthen integrated marketing to children. This promotes brand choices linked to unhealthy food and childhood obesity.

• Marketing of McDonald’s purchase-driven donations and range of sponsorships promotes purchasing practices which may put corporate interests ahead of health.

• McDonald’s online ordering, drive through outlets, and home delivery all provide ease of access to unhealthy products.