The United Kingdom division of McDonald’s removed the smile from Happy Meal boxes in recognition of mental health week, which seems totally backwards.
I’m all about supporting mental health and overall wellness, especially when it comes to today’s youth, but this seems like a dramatically stupid move. Happy Meals equal comfort food. Do the young kids really need a visual reminder that life isn’t always happy or fun? Removing smiles from boxes adds a layer of seriousness to something kids traditionally associate with a good time. It’s time to let kids be kids and stop plastering propaganda on their food containers.
McDonald’s Drops Smile From Happy Meals for Mental Health Week | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/h4Duxi0Gz4
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 15, 2024
“During mental health week, when we’re trying to explain to youth that it’s ok to feel a myriad of emotions, and it’s unrealistic to feel happy all the time, the signature smile is wiped off the McDonald’s boxes, and the ‘Happy Meal’ will be called ‘The Meal,'” McDonald’s said in a statement, according to TMZ.
If McDonald’s wants to implement an agenda that involves getting serious and refusing to keep their Happy Meals happy, what’s really left for our kids? In a world that can seem overwhelming at the best of times, let’s keep some things happy all the time for our kiddos.
FILE PHOTO: A statue of Ronald McDonald, a mascot of the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant chain is seen outside the restaurant in Mumbai, India, February 26, 2024. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo
Supporting mental health wellness doesn’t have to begin with negating positive messaging, and stripping away images of happiness doesn’t send a positive vibe to me in the least. For the sake of children experiencing mental health challenges, I’d hope for the polar opposite approach.
My last McDonald’s launch is a beaut. Introducing The Meal. Removing the iconic smile from our Happy Meal for the first time to encourage conversations with kids about mental health with @BBCCiN. pic.twitter.com/RYaGXYDNLN
— Louise (@LouisePage_) May 13, 2024
As far as relatability goes, McDonald’s fails again. I doubt seeing a Happy Meal without a happy face is really going to make kids think it’s ok to feel other emotions. It’s time to give our youth a little more credit.
The redesign was initiated in response to a recent study which found that 48 percent of kids in the U.K. feel pressured to be happy all the time, according to TMZ. Their proposed solution was to remove the smile, re-name the meal, and issue stickers representing various emotions to a select few restaurants. Children who visit those locations will be able to put any emotion they’d like on the box by selecting the sticker that represents their feelings. Tough luck for all the other kids, I guess. They just have unhappy boxes.
Batman and Minions toys made from paper and cardboard that children assemble themselves are seen, as McDonald’s makes its future Happy Meal toys for kids more sustainable, in New York, U.S. September 20, 2021. REUTERS/Hilary Russ
Louise Page, one of the executives at McDonalds, issued a statement about the week-long agenda.
“We know how important it is to help stimulate open conversations about mental health in families, and through this change to our Happy Meal box, we hope many more families are encouraged to kickstart positive conversations around children’s emotions and wellbeing,” she said. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Calls On Govs To Save Kids From Mental Health Crisis Driven By Social Media)
Alright kids, lets talk about why your Happy Meal just got so serious … great way to start.