McDonald's Calls Amended Obesity Suit 'Senseless'
NEW YORK - McDonald's Corp. on Thursday dismissed as "senseless" the filing of an amended lawsuit in New York alleging the fast-food chain sells foods that are more hazardous than customers expect, Reuters reports.
The reaction from the world's largest restaurant chain came a day after new court papers were filed in a previously dismissed suit that had blamed the company's Big Macs, fries and Chicken McNuggets for obesity in children. The papers were filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan late on Wednesday, according to several news reports.
"This senseless lawsuit's selective focus on only one food organization is not only absurd when you look at the facts, but is a serious disservice to anyone who is looking for real answers and information about healthy lifestyles, energy balance and personal responsibility," McDonald's said in a statement.
In January, a federal judge threw out the original suit. But Judge Robert
Sweet had said it could be refiled with information backing the plaintiffs' claim that diners have no idea what is really in their food or that the products have allegedly become more harmful because of processing.
To that end, the amended suit alleges the company served up advertisements promoting its calorie-laden food as being nutritious enough to eat every day, the children's Manhattan lawyer, Samuel Hirsch, told the New York Post.
The amended suit quoted McDonald's chief nutritionist, Ann Rusniak, saying last October that it was possible to eat at the popular hamburger chain "three times a day."
The 46-page amended complaint targets McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish, French fries, chicken sandwiches and hamburger products as being more unhealthy than a customer could expect, the article said.
In response, McDonald's statement said: "McDonald's continues to be a leader in providing customers with nutritional information about our food through in-store brochures, our website, or toll-free customer telephone number."
The reaction from the world's largest restaurant chain came a day after new court papers were filed in a previously dismissed suit that had blamed the company's Big Macs, fries and Chicken McNuggets for obesity in children. The papers were filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan late on Wednesday, according to several news reports.
"This senseless lawsuit's selective focus on only one food organization is not only absurd when you look at the facts, but is a serious disservice to anyone who is looking for real answers and information about healthy lifestyles, energy balance and personal responsibility," McDonald's said in a statement.
In January, a federal judge threw out the original suit. But Judge Robert
Sweet had said it could be refiled with information backing the plaintiffs' claim that diners have no idea what is really in their food or that the products have allegedly become more harmful because of processing.
To that end, the amended suit alleges the company served up advertisements promoting its calorie-laden food as being nutritious enough to eat every day, the children's Manhattan lawyer, Samuel Hirsch, told the New York Post.
The amended suit quoted McDonald's chief nutritionist, Ann Rusniak, saying last October that it was possible to eat at the popular hamburger chain "three times a day."
The 46-page amended complaint targets McDonald's Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish, French fries, chicken sandwiches and hamburger products as being more unhealthy than a customer could expect, the article said.
In response, McDonald's statement said: "McDonald's continues to be a leader in providing customers with nutritional information about our food through in-store brochures, our website, or toll-free customer telephone number."