Happy Meal Toys to Disappear in San Francisco by Law

Added by Gary Dunn on November 3, 2010

San Francisco became yesterday the first major city in the United States that passed a law that curbs the popular practice among fast-food restaurants of giving away free toys together with unhealthy meals for kids.

The Board of Supervisors from San Francisco passed a new law, which also has been enforced in Santa Clara County, with a 8 to 3 vote, leading to a close implementation starting from December 1.

This law will require restaurants that want to give toys with meals to meet nutritional standards and include necessary foods for children.

Restaurants from San Francisco will be able to sell meals with toys on and after December 1 only if the meal contains fruits and vegetables, has less than 600 calories and beverages that aren’t extremely high in sugar or fat.

The ordinance intends to promote healthy eating and combat obesity in children. One of the measure’s supporters, San Francisco’s Supervisor Eric Mar, stated that children are obese and sick, preponderantly children of color.

However, McDonald’s and the National Restaurant Association are opposing to the law.

The spokes woman of the widely known chain of restaurants with popular Happy Meals stated that McDonald’s is disappointed with the decision taken by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and said that the decision does not reflect what customers want or ask for.