Jamie Oliver held discussions with McDonald’s despite previous criticism of fast food chain
Written by News on 04/02/2019
Chef and healthy eating campaigner Jamie Oliver has held meetings with bosses at McDonald’s, despite criticising the fast food chain for several years.
Mr Oliver has had regular discussions about healthy eating with the chain’s UK bosses – including chief executive Paul Pomroy – but does not have a commercial relationship with the company, reports the Press Association.
Mr Pomroy has also taken part in a charity cook-off event run by the chef’s food foundation.
The TV star has hit out at the chain on a number of occasions, saying in 2011 that McDonald’s burgers were ‘not fit for human consumption’.
He lobbied for a type of processed beef, dubbed ‘pink slime’, to be removed from the recipe.
McDonald’s and several other fast food outlets later removed the ingredient, although it was never used in UK and Ireland products.
Mr Oliver was also heavily critical of the company’s Olympics sponsorship and launched a campaign to ensure the event’s sponsors met nutritional and ethical standards.
The fast food firm says its executives regularly meet food and drink professionals as well as politicians.
The chef has worked to overhaul school dinners in the UK and advocated for the sugar tax, as well as urging the government to ban the sale of energy drinks to children.
He has previously been quoted as saying he would allow his children to eat at McDonald’s.
A Jamie Oliver spokesperson said: “Jamie and his companies has no current or planned formal or informal relationship with McDonald’s and any reporting to the contrary is incorrect.”
He was earlier criticised for collaborating with oil giant Shell, after creating a healthier food-to-go range for service stations.
The chef said at the launch of the range that food companies need to lead the way in changing diets.
He said: “If we want Britain to be in a healthier, more productive place in 15 to 20 years, we absolutely need businesses to be on that journey.”
(c) Sky News 2019: Jamie Oliver held discussions with McDonald’s despite previous criticism of fast food chain
