Consumers want nutrition information, and we’re happy to provide it
Experts and consumers agree that being able to understand and read nutrition labels is essential to making informed diet and lifestyle choices. We couldn’t agree more. McDonald’s was one of the first restaurant companies in the world to provide customers with nutrition information about the products we offer, starting in 1973.
Since then, the ways we make our nutrition information available have evolved with the changing communications landscape. Initially, we offered it on in-store trayliners, posters and brochures, then on the internet, and in 2006, on our packaging. Our expansion of alternative ways to provide nutrition information helps customers make informed choices based on facts, not perceptions.
The Nutrition Information Initiative (NII) and beyond
As projected, we completed rollout of our nutrition information initiative to 20,000 restaurants worldwide at the end of 2007. This industry-leading initiative provides easy-to-understand and globally-relevant bar chart icons to illustrate the amount of calories, fat, sodium, carbohydrates and protein that are in our core products.
The development of this iconic approach to communicating nutrition information involved extensive research and consultation with our Global Advisory Council, the McDonald’s Europe Nutritionist Steering Group, and other independent experts and government officials. We also solicited customer perspectives on the most user-friendly ways to communicate nutrition information.
The resulting format enables customers to grasp, at a glance, how our food can fit into a balanced diet. For example:
The format focuses on the five elements experts agree are most relevant to consumer understanding of nutrition — calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates and sodium/salt.
For each of these elements, the percentage of the daily recommended intake the product provides is indicated.
The format is icon-based and was designed to be understood independent of language. And although it provides a global model, the format is flexible enough to adapt to local needs, customs, menus and regulations.
Informing consumers in the future
We are reviewing the effectiveness of this approach and exploring other ways to make nutrition information practical for today’s consumer. Many McDonald’s markets are already using the latest advancements in technology to make nutrition information even more available. In several of our markets, customers can create their own McDonald’s meal and get its nutrition facts – all with a few key strokes on a computer. McDonald’s Japan uses a code on packaging that allows customers to access nutrition information via web-enabled cell phones.
While we continuously work internally, and with outside experts, to develop better ways to communicate nutrition information, we are also committed to complying with local laws and regulations that lead to alternative methods for informing consumers. The recent legislation involving menu board labeling in a few U.S. cities is an example.
We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of this approach, and we remain confident that as customers learn more about the nutrition profile of our food and the choice and balance we offer, it will reflect positively on our commitment to consumer well-being.
Just read the label: Nutrition information on McDonald's core products focuses on five key elements that are most relevant to consumers: calories, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and sodium.
