Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency has fined McDonald’s after breaking the law and misrepresenting the Tokyo Roast Beef Burger sold in summer 2017. According to NicoNico, the fine is 21.7 million yen ($286,570) and must be paid by December 25 of this year.
The original “Tokyo Roast Beef Burger” ads featured what looked like real slices of roast beef.
やっぱり・・・・
怪しい気がした・・・
まあ、マック行かなくなって5年経つけどな。#マクドナルド#期間限定メニュー#ローストビーフ pic.twitter.com/LZhRUl2TQe— ぽくぽく (@pokuripon) July 24, 2018
However, the sandwiches used “processed and reformed meat.” McDonald’s admitted to this, saying this meat was used to increase production.
マクドナルド「ローストビーフバーガー！」
消費者庁「ハムじゃん はい罰金2000万」 https://t.co/Me9GoBQvdS pic.twitter.com/4E7txBEZCQ— siitake (@siitakeo) May 24, 2019
As previously reported, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency said that McDonald’s broke the law, misrepresenting its products and misleading customers.
OK、これはローストビーフではない業務スーパーの切り落としハムだわ pic.twitter.com/fYFVG5ucLA
— 恐山のストゥージス狂 (@r_u_still_in_2_) August 9, 2017
And now McDonald’s has the fine to prove it!
If only the Australian government came down on false advertising on the food industry.
I mean they already do. There have been many previous cases where the ACCC has taken companies to court over their false advertising.
Heres one that i remember from 2015.
https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-acts-on-alleged-false-or-misleading-juice-representations
ACCC cant take action unless people report it to them.
I love how in Japanese rulings, the convicted party has to give a public explanation of their behaviour.