Middle East: Iran: getting a taste for some of America’s big brands

In Tehran anti-USA sentiments still run high with “Down with the USA” graffiti seen on some buildings. But when it comes to fast food feelings can be fooled.

In downtown Tehran it looks as if the world’s biggest fast food chain has opened up but a big yellow ‘M’ is actually inviting customers into Mash Donald’s with a menu including burgers, fries and falafel.

The owner believes it reminds his customers of visits to fast food restaurants on trips abroad. He hopes one day to run a McDonald’s franchise.

“They (McDonald’s and other US products) should be allowed to come here and people see that there is nothing strange about them. What is the reason for all the opposition? Nothing bad would happen. You are looking for a burger, try McDonald’s and if you like it, then you will choose this restaurant,” said Hassan Padiav owner of Mash Donald’s.

There are no genuine American fast food outlets in Iran where the anti US narrative remains strong. But if the nuclear agreement succeeds there are hopes among some Iranians they will have a chance to choose the real taste of America.

“After all, we have had economic dealings with the United States in the past. Americans are very interested in some Iranian goods and some American goods are popular with Iranians as well. The popularity of these brands and this background can be helpful,” said Mohsen Jalalpour, Head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce.
McDonald’s has launched an online application form for those interested in franchise opportunities in the Islamic Republic but stressed it has “not set a firm date” for development. The Big Mac, along with other US businesses must wait.

Read more: Iran: getting a taste for some of America’s big brands | euronews, economy

‘Globesity’: US junk food industry tips global scales

From Mexico to Qatar, obesity rates are soaring to unprecedented levels. The alarming trend is damaging economic performance, as well as the health of millions of consumers worldwide.

Take our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, mix in a generous portion of American fast-food and dubious agricultural practices, add a dash of corporate duplicity and you have a recipe for high obesity rates across the planet.

The newly released United Nations report on global nutrition does not make for very appetizing reading: Amid an already floundering global economy, the reality of a fattening planet is dragging down world productivity rates while increasing health insurance costs to the tune of $3.5 trillion dollars per year - or 5 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP).

31.8 percent of US adults are now considered clinically obese. This is a remarkable figure, especially considering that it is approximately double the US obesity rate registered in 1995, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention .

Read more: ‘Globesity’: US junk food industry tips global scales — RT USA

Food Industry: Why Aren't We Biting The Corporate Hand That Feeds Us? - by Joe Leech

More and more people are getting sick and dying early of disease and cancer. We all know it — nothing new there.

But despite the fact we all know it, nothing is changing. In fact the situation is still getting worse.

Recent estimates suggest that deaths from non-communicable diseases (such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes) will increase 45% by 2030 – to 50 million deaths per year. Um, the rate is meant to be going the other way isn’t it?

A study from the University of Melbourne in Australia found there to be no evidence of effectiveness nor safety of involving multinational companies in public health promotion. “There is a fundamental conflict – their legitimate role is to make profit, our role is to protect health,” says study leader Professor Rob Moodie. “These companies shouldn’t be around the table when formulating national and international policy.”

The bottom line is there’s a glaring conflict of interest here that can no longer be swept under the rug. Food Industry involvement will always be misleading, and often unethical to some degree. After all, their employees are paid to do one thing – sell more products and maximise profits for shareholders, whatever it takes.

Moodie says, “Studies funded by food and drinks companies are four to eight times more likely to make conclusions favourable to the companies than those that were not sponsored by food or drinks companies.” Yep, that’s not just a happy coincidence.

In fact, what’s happening here is a dazzling re-enactment of regulating the tobacco industry. Once we finally had government regulations in place, smoking rates began to decline. The problem is it took more than 40 years from the discovery that tobacco is bad for your health, to actually regulating against it. Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day? Where Billy Crystal has to live one day of his life over and over again on a constant loop? This is the tobacco industry fiasco all over again- except this industry’s even bigger.

Let’s face it. The only way we’ll see change is to ditch partnerships with the food and drink multinationals and enforce government legislation, regulation, taxes, whatever it takes. NYCs Mayor Bloomberg gets it. And while his soda ban isn’t being enforced (yet), at least he’s giving it a shot.

And if regulations create a “nanny state,” so be it. Giving up a 32 oz soda at the football stadium is a small price to pay if it’ll help someone in need.

Ultimately, this an entirely preventable problem that will not be resolved by the corporate hand that feeds us.


Read more: Why Aren't We Biting The Corporate Hand That Feeds Us? | Care2 Causes

How economics are driving fast food’s takeover of France

More than half of all French restaurant sales now take place, sacrilegiously, at fast food chains, according to a new survey by food consultancy firm Gira Conseil.

This is the first time fast food sales have surpassed sit-down restaurant sales in France —  you know, the the country that gave us cafes, bistros and the Michelin star. It also makes France the world’s second-biggest consumer of fast food, NPR reports, with 1,200 McDonalds franchises alone.

That number is only growing (much, it must be said, like French waistlines): Consumption at casual eateries jumped 14 percent just in the past year, according to the survey, and companies such as Subway and Burger King have launched major expansions in the country.

Read more: How economics are driving fast food’s takeover of France

Fast Food: French mouths water with the return of Burger King to France

Burger King is making a return to France after a 15-year hiatus, in news that has set mouths watering in a country better known for its haute cuisine, fine wine and cheeses.

The US fast food chain’s imminent return after it quit the country in 1997, citing the brand’s poor commercial performance, has been the subject of intense and repeated rumours for years.

And the confirmation on Thursday that the iconic Whopper sandwich was on its way back immediately triggered an avalanche of enthusiasm on the Internet.

By lunchtime on Thursday the hashtag #BurgerKing was “trending” as second most popular on Twitter France.

Read more: French mouths water with the return of Burger King

Fast Food: 19 Facts About McDonald's That Will Blow Your Mind - by Gus Lubin and Mamta Badkar

McDonald's just reported its first quarter financial results this morning.  The global fast food chain generated $6.54 billion during the period and delivered earnings per share of $1.23. Global comparable sales increased 7.3 percent.

While the top and bottom line came in line with analysts' expectations, there are plenty of facts about the company that you may find completely unexpected.

The restaurant giant has grown through the recession and recovery. Which makes sense since it sells more than 75 burgers every second.

For more: 19 Facts About McDonald's That Will Blow Your Mind

McDonald’s in China, recycled cooking oil in Malaysia - by TAY TIAN YAN

 McDonald's restaurant in Sanlitun, Beijing was earlier uncovered to have sold expired fries, cheese and pies.  The news shocked the whole China, as well as the world. And McDonald's faced a crisis.

Strangely, the business of McDonald's restaurants in China was not affected. Instead, many Chinese who seldom ate McDonald's food in the past have turned into McDonald's fans.

The report appeared on the TV news report at 8.30pm. At 9.20pm, Beijing Health Inspection officials arrived at the restaurant to carry out an on-site inspection, which later proved that the restaurant had indeed violated the company's rule, but not the food safety regulations.

Within an hour, the McDonald's headquarters apologized and ordered the outlet to temporarily suspend its business for rectification. Other outlets were also warned to strictly comply with the requirements and regulations while the public, media and government departments are welcomed to supervise the operation of the fast food company's outlets.

For more: McDonald’s in China, recycled cooking oil in Malaysia | My Sinchew

KFC and McDonnald: Snacks spark cancer scare

Potato fries sold by fast food giants KFC and McDonald's contain a substance suspected of causing cancer, the Consumer Council revealed yesterday.

The consumer watchdog warned that nearly all 90 samples of potato chips, biscuits and other snacks it tested from a number of manufacturers contained the chemical compound acrylamide, which is probably carcinogen.
Acrylamide is known to have caused cancer in animals, and has been classified as "probably carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

KFC restaurants have made earlier  headlines for having some pretty foul hygienic issues, and the company has been sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest for using startlingly high amounts of artery-clogging trans fats, 

For more: Snacks spark cancer scare - The Standard

USA: Fast Food Nation

Fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society. An industry that began with a handful of modest hot dog and hamburger stands in southern California has spread to every corner of the nation, selling a broad range of foods wherever paying customers may be found. Fast food is now served at restaurants and drive-throughs, at stadiums, airports, zoos, high schools, elementary schools, and universities, on cruise ships, trains, and airplanes, at K-Marts, Wal-Marts, gas stations, and even at hospital cafeterias. In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2000, they spent more than $110 billion. Americans now spend more money on fast food than on higher education, personal computers, computer software, or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music - combined.

For more: Fast Food Nation

Fast Food - What went wrong at Burger King - by Dan Mitchell

It's not yet clear what Burger King's new owner, the Brazilian-backed private equity firm 3G Capital, has in mind for the troubled No. 2 fast-food chain. But a total strategic revamp is in order.

Burger King (BKC), which went public four years ago after its previous private equity owners cashed out, has limped its way through the recession, losing sales and market share even as its far-better-managed rival, McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500), has thrived. Thriving is what fast-food purveyors are supposed to do during a recession, when diners tend to trade down. But Burger King has stubbornly stuck to a losing strategy, falling further behind with each passing quarter. The result: A loss in share value over the two years up until Tuesday -- just before rumors of the buyout started to float -- of 36%. McDonald's shares over the same period rose 14%.

It will be interesting to see what the new Brazilian owners will make of Burger King's grandiose vision. Chidsey will step down as CEO, but will remain as a co-chairman along with Alex Behring, 3G's managing director. Supposedly they'll work together to find a new chief.
For more: What went wrong at Burger King - Sep. 3, 2010

US versus Europe: Super versus moderate

"Americans who have traveled to Europe will have noticed that there's a significant difference in portion sizes between our country and European countries. A college friend who moved to Germany as an exchange student back in the late Eighties wrote to say he was hungry for the first couple of weeks, because he was being served less than he was accustomed to -- but after that period of "initiation," he found that he was satisfied with the smaller proportions. There is something about the American psychology that craves bigness, and feels cheated in some way by smaller portions. I wonder if it has always been this way, or if this is something that we've gotten acculturated to by marketing over the past 30 or 40 years. I suspect it's mostly (but not entirely) the latter. As I've said before during discussions about liberal drug laws in the Netherlands, insofar as they work for the Dutch, it has a lot to do with the inner self-discipline the Dutch have as a characteristic of their residual Calvinist culture (they may not have the religion anymore, but they are much more self-controlled compared to us). You don't see all-you-can-eat buffets in Holland, which explains why that culture is better able to handle liberalized drug laws than we would be in America.

Note EU-Digest: Unfortunately Europe is also quickly joining the gluttons of this world, mainly as a result of advertising. Burger King in Europe noted they saw a considerable upswing in their sales when they started selling the heavily advertised "super burger".

Let's hope Europe won't reach the state the US is in. Maybe its time to include in advertisements for fast food, similar to what they do for tobacco and alcohol, that fast food can cause obesity, which can kill you?

Will it fly, probably not, because the food industry lobby will probably kill any action in that direction.

For more: Against supersized cocktails - Rod Dreher

Alternet: 15 Horrifying Reasons to Never Let Anyone You Love Near a McDonald's | Health and Wellness - by Sarah Irani

For the complete report from AlterNet click on this link

15 Horrifying Reasons to Never Let Anyone You Love Near a McDonald's - by Sarah Irani

The Golden Arches: the ultimate American icon. Super Size Me taught us that fast food culture brings obesity, heart disease, hypertension and a whole slew of other problems. How bad do you really want that Big Mac? Here are 15 reasons you’ll never let anyone you love get near those Golden Arches.

1. Real food is perishable. With time, it begins to decay. It’s a natural process, it just happens. Beef will rot, bread will mold. But what about a McDonald’s burger? Karen Hanrahan saved a McDonald’s burger from 1996 and, oddly enough, it looks just as “appetizing” and “fresh” as a burger you might buy today. Is this real food?

2. You would have to walk 7 hours straight to burn off a Super Sized Coke, fries and Big Mac. Even indulging in fast food as an occasional treat is a recipe for weight gain…unless you’re planning to hit each treadmill in the treadmill bay afterwards.

Even Prince Charles, while touring a diabetes center in the United Arab Emirates, commented that banning McDonald’s is key to health and nutrition. Don’t let the salads and chicken breasts fool you. The “chicken” at McDonald’s, by the way, comes with a whole lot more than chicken

Alternet: "When in Doubt, Add Bacon and Cheese": How the Food Industry Hijacked Our Brains and Made Us Fat - by Anjali Kamat

For the complete report from AlterNet click on this link

"When in Doubt, Add Bacon and Cheese": How the Food Industry Hijacked Our Brains and Made Us Fat - by Anjali Kamat

A new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the direct medical costs of obesity total about $147 billion a year. That amounts to 9 percent of all U.S. medical costs. It's also over $50 billion more than the annual spending on cancer. US CDC Director Thomas Frieden noted that, "Obesity, and with it diabetes, are the only major health problems that are getting worse in this country." Speaking at the country's first obesity conference last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said: "If there was an epidemic of little kids getting cancer, it would be a national crisis. But because it's obesity and the damage doesn't come until later in life, we've been slow to act."

Note EU-Digest: this is not only a US problem,it has also become a problem in every industrialized country in the world and needs to be addressed.

TimesOnline: Britain tries to stir a fast-food revolution in America - Dominic Rushe

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

Britain tries to stir a fast-food revolution in America - Dominic Rushe

On the west coast of America, Tesco is rolling out Fresh & Easy, a chain of small (by US standards) supermarkets that will offer a wide variety of ready meals. The move is unlikely to dent the sales of Wal-Mart or Kroger, the market leaders, but it has already changed their thinking. Wal-Mart is opening smaller stores that will offer more ready meals, using the expertise of its British business, Asda. Kroger has committed $50m to promoting chilled foods. Stop & Shop, owned by Ahold, is making more space available for ready meals and spending $23m on marketing. Hannaford, another northeast chain supplied by Greencore, is also making a greater commitment to chilled meals. Weight Watchers recently presented a range of chilled meals in America, all made by Greencore and backed by a big advertising push.

WTOPNEWS: More Than Half of EU Adults Overweight - by Raf Casert

For the complete report in WTOPNEWS click on this link

More Than Half of EU Adults Overweight - by Raf Casert

More than half of adults in European Union nations are obese or overweight and the young are increasingly making Europe a fat continent, the EU's top public health official said Wednesday.In the 27-nation bloc, the EU says that over 21 million children are overweight. "Even more worrying is that the rate of increase of that number is more than 400,000 children a year."

On Wednesday, the Commission proposed to tighten advertising standards on unhealthy processed food. It called on the food industry to cut down on sugar, fat and salt and urged sports organizations to do more to get youngsters to engage in physical exercise.