Quote:
Originally Posted by pgc hunter
I agree. It is also expensive for what it is. $5.40 for a "Big" Mac? Get outta here  I think that the ridiculously big menu these days, with all the so called healthy salads, wraps and other posh crap to appease the do-gooders, socialists, hipsters etc and now create your taste, surely the costs of all this has to be absorbed somehow, driving up prices.
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It is most likely true that people with a social conscience are causing an increase in the cost of a Big Mac. However, I suspect it has more to do with pressure being applied to their suppliers which, incidentally, have an egregious track record with respect to animal cruelty, pollution and deforestation.
McDonald's are very aware that the majority of their customers would not support them if the reality of the situation was explained to them. They like to make the pretense of being an (ostensibly) ethical corporation but it is not difficult to see evidence to the contrary.
Take for example one of their first tier suppliers, Tyson foods.
The public face is as follows:
The company is one of the largest food suppliers in the US, it has 120,000 employees in 300 facilities across the world. They also work with 7000 independent chicken growers.
Tyson Renewable energy.
On April 16, 2007, Tyson announced a joint venture with
ConocoPhillips to produce roughly 175 million gallons of biodiesel a year. (from animal fat byproduct)
Corporate Charity.
Since 2000, Tyson Foods has given more than 35,000 tonnes of its products to hunger and disaster relief in the United States.Tyson has donated millions of dollars in cash to help non-profit organizations across the country. For these efforts, Forbes named Tyson Foods the second most proportionally generous company for its donations in 2007. Tyson initiated the KNOW Hunger campaign in early 2011 to raise awareness of hunger in the United States.After the Joplin tornado of 2011, Tyson sent 35 tonnes of food to the city. It also sent 45 tonnes of food to the communities along the Gulf of Mexico after the oil spill.
Religious activities
Current chairman John Tyson is a practicing Interfaith Christian. In addition to placing 128 part-time chaplains (including both Protestant and Catholic Christians and Muslim Imams) in 78 Tyson plants, in 2006, the company invited their customers to download a prayer book, containing prayers from many faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and American Indian spirituality, from the company's website to read during mealtime.
And by their deeds shall you know them.......
In June 2003, the company admitted to illegally dumping untreated wastewater, pleading guilty to 20 felony violations.
According to EPA and U.S. D.O.J. officials, Tyson continued to illegally dump wastewater after the search warrants were executed.
In 2002, a lawsuit was filed concerning the discharge of dangerous quantities of ammonia from Tyson's Western Kentucky factories. Tyson settled the suit in January 2005, agreeing to spend $500,000 to mitigate and monitor the ammonia levels.
In 2004, Tyson was one of six poultry companies to pay a $7.3 million settlement fee to the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, to settle charges that the use of chicken waste as fertilizer had created phosphorus pollution in Tulsa's main drinking water sources.
In 2001, Tyson was charged with conspiracy to smuggle undocumented workers to work on its production lines. Prosecutors alleged that the conspiracy to import workers dates back to 1994.
In May 2006, Tyson suspended operations at nine plants during a nationwide day of immigration demonstrations citing expected lack of workers.
In October 2006, a federal judge granted class-action status to a lawsuit brought by Tyson employees who allege that Tyson's practice of hiring illegal immigrants depresses wages 10–30%.
In 2004 a federal jury found that Tyson Fresh Meats had used captive supply agreements to artificially lower fed cattle prices in violation of the Packers and Stockyard Act. Damages were found to be $1.28 billion.
To see one of Tyson's pig farms in action, go here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNY4Fjsdft4
To see another one of McDonald's (chicken) suppliers in action, go here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6E8H3C1CrU
(thankfully no more)
Watch the above video and tell me if that is not fascism distilled to its purest form.
Frankly, I choose to vote with my wallet and elect not to participate. McDonald's on the other hand only have a problem with it when they get caught.... And you can see that with their faux deforestation policy as well.
Besides... their burgers taste like culo, if we are to be honest.
Order your carp coffee wearing ugg boots and a hoodie. KEWL!
