BMJ: UNICEF and Big Mac deal

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BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL (BMJ)2002;325:923 (26 October )

http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7370/923/b

News

Unicef comes under attack for Big Mac funding deal

Owen Dyer, London

Unicef, the United Nations Children's Fund, has come under fire from

children's advocates for concluding a fundraising alliance with the

Mc's chain of fast food restaurants.

A petition signed by delegates from the World Alliance for

Breastfeeding Action accuses Unicef of compromising its mission to

promote good nutrition by associating with the giant American

corporation.

A letter accompanying the petition said that news of the alliance had

shocked participants at a colloquium on HIV and infant feeding in

Tanzania. " Discussions here with Unicef staff from regional and

country offices lead us to believe that staff outside Unicef

headquarters were more than astonished to learn of Unicef's new

alliance with Mc's, " it said.

The letter, addressed to Unicef's executive director, Carol Bellamy,

said the organisation had " entered into a partnership with a company

known worldwide for its aggressive promotion of foods that contribute

to ill health and poor nutrition both in industrialised and non-

industrialised countries. " Such an agreement, it went on, " is

contrary to Unicef's mission and is likely to undermine the World

Health Organisation's fight against obesity, cardiovascular disease,

hypertension, diabetes and other harmful conditions. "

The signatories also criticised a memorandum of understanding signed

on 19 September by Unicef Nigeria with Coca-Cola Africa and

speculated that Unicef was " opening the floodgates " to corporate

sponsorship. Alfred Ironside of Unicef's world headquarters in New

York said that Coca-Cola Africa offered to disseminate HIV prevention

literature on behalf of Unicef and UNAIDS.

Patti Rundall of Baby Milk Action, a British charity promoting breast

feeding, said that Mc's has already tried to cash in on the

publicity value of the Unicef link by running poster advertisements

that show a baby sucking a hamburger bun in place of a mother's

breast.

She added: " I think it's clear this initiative comes from the

American headquarters of Unicef. Unicef people in Europe are mostly

horribly embarrassed about it. "

Mc's and Unicef plan a joint fundraising initiative called

World Children's day on 20 November.

Soraya Bermejo of Unicef in Geneva said: " For several years, we've

had a programme in the United States where children collect coins for

Unicef in orange boxes at Hallowe'en. This year, Mc's will help

distribute these `trick or treat' boxes, which should enable us to in

crease the number of boxes used from five million to 20 million. The

money raised will go entirely to polio eradication.

" Obviously, the extra boxes will greatly increase the funds raised on

behalf of children in need around the world. Like all similar Unicef

activities, this one will be reviewed once we have allowed it to run

its full course. "

The BMJ was unable to obtain a comment from Mc's.

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