McDonald’s Announces Global Commitment to Support Families With Increased Focus on Happy Meals

OAK BROOK, Ill., Feb. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) announced an expanded commitment to families, supporting the company’s long-term global growth plan by leveraging its reach to impact children’s meals, access to reading, and keeping families together through Ronald McDonald House Charities.  By 2022, McDonald’s will make improvements to the Happy Meal menu across 120 markets to offer more balanced meals, simplify ingredients, continue to be transparent with Happy Meal nutrition information, reinforce responsible marketing to children, and leverage innovative marketing to help impact the purchase of foods and beverages that contain recommended food groups in Happy Meals.  

“We recognise the opportunity that we have to support families as one of the most visited restaurants in the world, and remain committed to elevating our food, celebrating the joy of reading, and helping those in need through Ronald McDonald House Charities,” said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s President and CEO.  “Given our scale and reach, we hope these actions will bring more choices to consumers and uniquely benefit millions of families, which are important steps as we build a better McDonald’s.”

In 2013, McDonald’s began working with the not-for-profit Alliance for Healthier Generation (Healthier Generation) to develop a comprehensive plan for 20 major markets* to increase customers’ access to fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy and water; and many of those markets are ahead of schedule in their progress on those prior commitments. 

Today, the company is furthering its efforts with Healthier Generation to set five new Global Happy Meal Goals through 2022.

1. Offer Balanced Meals

Using rigorous nutrition criteria grounded in science and nutrition policy, by the end of 2022, at least 50 percent or more of the Happy Meals listed on menus (restaurant menu boards, primary ordering screen of kiosks and owned mobile ordering applications) in each market will meet McDonald’s new Global Happy Meal Nutrition Criteria of less than or equal to 600 calories; 10 percent of calories from saturated fat; 650mg sodium; and 10 percent of calories from added sugar.