BanTransFats.com, Inc., a California non-profit, has filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s for “false advertising regarding its announcement that it was implementing a change to a new cooking oil with 48% less trans fat, and that the change would be completed by February 2003.”
According to a statement on the group’s web site, no money damages are sought.
That statement also notes that “the lawsuit has nothing to do with obesity. Trans fats cause serious medical health problems other than obesity.”
The group charges that McDonald’s scored a major publicity coup in 2002 when it announced it would switch to a cooking oil with less trans fat — but that the chain has not actually made the switch, citing operational challenges, and has not made a serious effort to let consumers know it.
On February 28, 2003, McDonald’s announced it would not make the switch by the stated deadline but did not give a further timetable.
