McDonald’s said it is modifying recent advertisements about its delivery services after their content was found misleading.
The company previously ran three TV ads containing the claim ‘Get Maccas delivered for a 99-cent delivery fee’. The ads feature several male and female AFL players.
A complaint was sent to Ad Standards, which said that the ads create an impression that delivery would only increase the cost of an order by 99c. However, McDonald’s has a significant pricing discrepancy built into delivery orders, with items ordered for delivery priced between 20 per cent and 25 per cent higher than ordering in-store.
As such, the complaint said that the ‘99c’ delivery claim is inherently misleading.
In its defense, McDonald’s said the ads are not making an overall price claim, but rather a specific claim that eligible orders attract a 99c McDelivery fee.
“A reasonable consumer would understand this as a representation about the specific fee component of the transaction, rather than the total cost of a delivery order or a comparison between delivery and pickup pricing,” it explained.
Following an assessment, the Ad Standards Community Panel found that the ads breached the advertising code, as the 99c delivery-fee claim was likely to create the misleading impression that it was the only additional cost associated with choosing delivery rather than pickup.
On that understanding, an order costing $15 for pickup would be expected to cost $15.99 for delivery, the panel said, adding that customers who are unfamiliar with the app or do not regularly order food for delivery may not anticipate higher menu prices for delivery orders.
In light of the decision, McDonald’s said it was disappointed with the outcome of the complaint, but remains committed to ensuring compliance.
“We respect the final decision from Ad Standards and are modifying the advertisements accordingly,” the company said.
