Locog Bows to McDonalds' Demands, Bans Independent Food Outlets from Selling Chips at Olympics

The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) has been forced to ban the sale of chips by independent food outlets around the Olympic venues after main sponsor McDonalds demanded that there should be no sale of chips unless it is ordered along with fish.

Olympic chiefs have banned all 800-food retailers at the 40 Games venues across Britain from serving chips due to 'sponsorship obligations.'

But is seems that the bosses had predicted an outrage about the decision, emphasising that the move was not backed by the food retailers.

"Due to sponsorship obligations with McDonalds, Locog have instructed the catering team they are no longer allowed to serve chips on their own anywhere within the Olympic park," the Daily Mail quoted the memo as reading.

"The only loophole to this is if it is served with fish. Please understand this is not the decision of the staff serving up your meals, who given the choice would gladly give it you however they are not allowed to.

"This is being escalated through to the directors of L2012C and Locog and the IOC. Please do not give the staff grief; this will only lead to us removing fish and chips completely. Everyone has a right to work in a none abusive environment," the memo read.

Commercial partners Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Cadbury, Nature Valley and Heineken will be the only branded products that can be sold at the games.

The food outlets will serve a mixture of international dishes and great British dishes, with the organising committee boasting that food outlets would 'celebrate the heritage and diversity of British regional products and recipes.'

Controversy had earlier also surrounded some of the sponsors of the Olympic Games, with organisers criticised for accepting deals with companies like McDonald's and Coca-Cola because they conflict with the 'Olympic ideal'.

Jenny Jones, a Green Party assembly member, said the Games have provided 'a glut of sponsored messages for high calorie food and drink that are at odds with the Olympian athletic ideal.'

Source: ANI