Helen Steel and Dave Morris at a press
conference after the McLibel court decision
(PA/EMPICS)
In 1990, McDonald's sued activists Helen Steel and Dave Morris
for producing and distributing a pamphlet, 'What's Wrong With
McDonald's'. The pamphlet was highly critical of the company's
policies and practices. Little did the mega-corporation know that
this would begin a legal battle that would run for over a decade
and – despite McDonalds's huge financial resources – eventually
turn out disastrously.
McLibel
was the longest trial of any kind in English history. Steel and
Morris had to fund their defence entirely by donations from the
public because no legal aid was available to them. They each spent
about £35,000. In the same period, McDonald's is estimated to
have spent £10 million.
Although McDonald's won the case, it was a Pyrrhic victory.
The judge admitted that the defendants had proven many of the
points in their leaflet: McDonald's effectively were found guilty
of exploiting children, inflicting unnecessary cruelty on animals,
anti-union activities and lying in their advertising.
Analysts and legal representatives called the McLibel case a
complete disaster for McDonald's – and a victory for the activist
movement. Ultimately, McDonald's failed to silence their critics.
And that's an important victory for those seeking to challenge
massive multinationals in the future.
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