McDonalds nears settling vegetarians' lawsuits

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>McDonalds nears settling vegetarians' lawsuits >Sun, 10 Mar 2002

11:20:31 -0500 > > > > >>Posted on Wed, Mar. 06, 2002McDonalds nears settling

vegetarians' >>lawsuitsBY AMEET SACHDEV Chicago TribuneCHICAGO - (KRT) -

>>McDonald's Corp. is close to settling lawsuits filed byseveral >>vegetarians

last year who accused the burger chain of >>deliberatelyconcealing the use of

beef extract in its French >>fries.A confidential draft of the proposed

settlement offer calls >>for McDonald'sto pay $10 million to charities that

support >>vegetarianism, issue a publicapology and form an advisory board to

>>counsel the company on vegetariandietary issues. Another $2.4 >>million would

go to plaintiffs' attorneys.The settlement would end >>an embarrassing episode

for McDonald's over one ofits most popular >>menu items, the skinny French fry.

The agreement wouldcover >>lawsuits in five states, including Illinois, that

were filed >>onbehalf of any vegetarian who ate McDonald's fries after 1990 in

>>the beliefthat they contained no meat.That was the year the Oak >>Brook,

Ill.-based company began saying its fries! >>were cooked in "100 percent

vegetable oil" instead of a combination >>of beeftallow and vegetable

shortening. The change came to >>appeasecholesterol-conscious fast-food

diners.Based on the >>company's marketing of the switch, the plaintiffs contend

>>theyassumed that the fries were a vegetarian product, not knowing

>>thatMcDonald's continued to add a small amount of beef tallow to >>its fries

forflavoring. McDonald's says it never made any claims >>about the

vegetarianismof its fries, but it also did not fully >>disclose the use of the

beefextract. In its nutrition brochures, >>the company described the

ingredientas "natural flavor."The >>plaintiffs argue that some of the chain's

restaurant employees were >>noteven aware of the beef flavoring and told them

the fries were >>vegetarian.Three vegetarians in Seattle, including two Hindus

who >>don't eat meat forreligious reasons, were the first to file a >>complaint

last May. Suits inCalifornia, Illinois, Texas and New >>Jersey followed.Under

the proposed a! >>greement, the 12 named plaintiffs in the five pendingcases

would >>each receive $4,000. But not all the plaintiffs are pleasedwith the

>>offer. A formal settlement has yet to be filed with the >>court."Given how

long the window of deception was, $10 million is a >>pittance,"said Cherie

Travis, of Downers Grove, Ill., who filed a >>suit in her state."McDonald's

made a lot of money telling people >>that the fries werevegetarian." Travis was

so unhappy she fired her >>attorney, Jason Shanfieldof the Chicago firm Edelman,

Combs & >>Latturner Llc, last month. Threeplaintiffs in Texas also dismissed

>>their attorney last month. Shanfielddeclined to comment.McDonald's >>would

not discuss details of the deal Wednesday. The company"has >>been working in

good faith to resolve this matter," spokesman >>WaltRiker said. "It was purely

unintentional, and we have been >>working toaddress this issue in a positive

way." According to the >>draft, McDonald'sdoes not admit to any wrongdoing as

part of the >>agreement.The te! >>rms call for McDonald's to donate $6 million

to >>vegetarianorganizations, $2 million to Hindu or Sikh groups, $1 >>million

to promotechildren's hunger relief and another $1 million >>to support kosher

dietarypractices.McDonald's also will publish an >>apology in at least six

specializedpublications, including Veggie >>Life, Hinduism Today and India

Tribune.Travis said that the apology >>is not a big concession from

McDonald'sbecause the company posted >>an apology on its Web site last May for

causingculinary confusion >>over the last decade. ---© 2002, Chicago Tribune.

>>http://www.chicago.tribune.comDistributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune

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