McDonald's chief backs GST-free fruit, vege push

Photo / Supplied

Labour has found an unlikely ally for its move to take GST off fresh fruit and vegetables in the world's largest fast food chain.

McDonald's New Zealand Managing Director Mark Hawthorne says the policy could see his company taking more fat off the menu.

"I've got my McDonald's hat and my Mark Hawthorne hat. I'm the father of a six-year-old boy," Mr Hawthorne said.

"It makes a lot of sense taking GST off healthy food. It would help us to sell more healthy food."

Labour announced its GST-free fresh fruit and vegetable policy on September 27.

The move was dismissed by National as an unnecessary extra complication to the tax system.

Mr Hawthorne says the policy would give fast food chains an incentive to offer more healthy options.

He says it's hard to sell healthy food when the profit margin is lower than unhealthy options.

"I don't mind if they buy a Quarter Pounder or a healthy choice option. Economically I want people coming to McDonald's. Healthy food has lower margins."

A single McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder contains 104 per cent of the recommended daily intake of saturated fat, while a Big Mac contains 42 per cent.

Despite a long standing partnership with Weight Watchers, the amount of healthy food sold by McDonald's is still dwarfed by sales from its traditional menu.

Mr Hawthorne wants more support from the health sector to turn that around.

"When we started marketing our healthy food options the criticism from some parts of the health lobby was damning.

"There's a sweet spot between McDonald's and the health sector. When we do do something good they should try to find a way to champion it."

But the Heart Foundation's National Nutrition Advisor Delvina Gorton remains reluctant to give McDonald's her seal of approval.

"It is great that McDonald's have reformulated a number of its foods and introduced a number of healthier options. However we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the majority of McDonald's foods are still high in fat, salt and sugar," MS Gorton said.

"The Heart Foundation recommends foods high in fat, salt and sugar should only be eaten occasionally to help reduce the risk of heart disease."

McDonald's serves 1.3 million people a week in New Zealand.

It removed 40 per cent of sugar from its hamburger buns and much of the saturated fat from its cooking oils in 2006.