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The test was inspired by an American study published in 2007. Among 63 children questioned who were offered identical products, two out of three preferred those stamped McDo to those packaged in anonymous boxes. The little French confirm… Extract from “Does it happen like that at McDonald’s?”, an investigation by Zoé de Bussierre, broadcast Thursday April 7, 2022 at 9:10 p.m. on France 2.
To understand the power McDonald’s has over children, the magazine “Cash Investigation” (replay) conducted an experiment on young guinea pigs with, of course, the agreement of their parents. On the menu that day: hamburgers, nuggets, fries… and small cucumbers because you also need a few vegetables… The meal is served in a Happy Meal box from McDonald’s to half of them and in a small cardboard box simple to others. And obviously, there are disappointed…
Théo and Eléonore, seated in front of a McDo box, do not wish to exchange it for an anonymous box, as Elise Lucet offers them. What about the kids sitting in front of the unbranded box? Would they like to trade? Noah says yes without hesitation in front of the approving silence of his neighbors… Why do the children prefer to keep the meal in the Happy Meal box? “Because it’s McDonald’s and we like it, we…” replies Theo. The journalist immediately puts things to the point…
“Because it’s the one I usually have”
“There will be McDo for everyonesays Elise Lucet. And there’s also going to be the other box for everyone. You are going to taste both and tell me what you think…“In fact, “Cash” bought everything from McDonald’s. Half of the menus remain in the original box and the other is packaged in plain packaging. So the children are all eating, without knowing it, exactly the same thing. Will they detect a difference in taste between the two meals?
The journalist asks a child which of the two boxes she preferred. The red and yellow box of the American brand is designated without the slightest hesitation. Same reaction in the other little ones… Why? “Because it’s the one I usually have“says Lucy. Only two children did not notice any difference between the two menus. Ihe truth is finally revealed to the astonished little guinea pigs: “In both packages there were the same things. It’s crazy, right?“
Excerpt from “It’s like that at McDonald’s?”, an investigation by Zoé de Bussierre, broadcast Wednesday April 7, 2022 at 9:10 p.m. on France 2.
> Replays of France Télévisions news magazines are available on the Franceinfo website and its mobile application (iOS & Android), “Magazines” section.