McDonald’s have frequently been in the firing line of the media and lobby groups with regards to their Happy Meals and today has witnessed a further dramatic twist. Whilst many extreme lobbyists have called for an outright ban on the Happy Meals such a move has largely been regarded as very unlikely; not so it appears in the US county of Santa Clara (which covers most of Silicone Valley). Elected officials have introduced a law that bans the provision of toys with any children’s meals that fall short of national nutritional guidelines, hence eliminating a central component of the Happy Meal.

Whilst the toy element is vetoed, of course the food itself will still be available and given that all other fast food outlets in this area will cease offering similar incentives, it is unlikely therefore to affect the popularity of fast food within the county (where one in four children are obese, which is higher than the US average of one in five). McDonald’s is popular with young families because it provides food that all members of family enjoy at a price that is affordable and in an environment that is family friendly. Sure, the children may be surprised and disappointed not to receive their usual toy but I doubt that this will act as a stimulus for them to grab a carrot stick and jog around the park (although perhaps a few children may burn off a few calories if they jump up and down in anger).

Once again politicians are clutching at policy straws to address the obesity issue and hitting easy win targets to publicly demonstrate their commitment to the health & well being of their voters. If only social and behavioural change was that easy!