Over a year ago, a nationwide program was launched in Germany that aimed to give relevant information about the importance of good nutrition and impart nutritional health advice to children across the country. In an unexpected turn of events, the fast food chain McDonald's became involved in the program, leading to widespread anger and repeated protests parents and other health experts.
Now the nonprofit organization, Foodwatch, has announced that the agency that started it all, the German Consumer Protection Foundation, is terminating the joint project with the American restaurant chain. During the height of the protest, over 37,000 people signed a petition calling for the removal of the fast food giant from areas near schools and other educational districts.
The German Consumer Protection agency explained that the partnership was due mainly to McDonald's declaration of its commitment to "healthy nutrition for children." They added that joining nutrition campaign was part of the company's "contribution, as a responsible company in the food industry, to society." Representatives for the food chain said that this was their way giving back to the public, and the recent announcement of being dropped from the program did not sit well with some officials from the McDonald's headquarters. Spokesperson for the company stated earlier, "We are extremely irritated at having been dropped from the program as well as with the way with him. Real reasons were given for the dismissal, nor was there any personal discussion." They added further that it was the German Consumer Protection agency that invited McDonald's to become a part of the program initially.
On the other hand, members of the group, Foodwatch, are quite happy with the exclusion, saying that dropping the fast food chain from the program is "the first in a series of steps that must be taken." Representative, Oliver Huizinga, also added that, "Schools should be free from commercial interests."
