[Sixstrings]

CHIPOTLE: FAST FOOD HYPOCRITES

Chipotle claims to be ethical but its marketing is highly unscientific and harms animal welfare.

Chipotle pledged to serve food that’s “GMO-free,” meaning it doesn’t use genetically improved crops. This move drew criticism from NPR, The Washington Post, and many others. Genetically improved foods are overwhelmingly recognized by scientists as completely safe. These experts include the World Health Organization and the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. Chipotle’s “no GMO” stance isn’t even consistent – its sodas are sweetened by genetically modified corn!

Chipotle also has had a policy forbidding its meat producers from using antibiotics—even though these medicines are used to treat sick animals. This can lead to animal deaths. Chipotle admitted as much in its annual report, saying, “Herd losses can also be greater when animals are not treated with antibiotics…” Chipotle marketing also implies that other restaurants’ meals do contain antibiotics, however the FDA has strict rules on withdrawal periods to allow time for animals to get rid of any medicine in their bodies before going to market (think about how human medicines don’t stay in your body forever).” We expect most people would like the assurance that any animal entering the food supply was healthy.

HOW TO SPEAK CHIPOTLE

1) gmo-free
Marketing term describing food that isn’t healthier or safer, but that does cost more.
2) healthy
1,400-calorie burritos.
3) sustainable
We don’t know what this means but it sounds good.
4) antibiotic-free
Animals are denied medicine that could prevent disease.
5) sofrito
A word we made up for tofu.
http://www.chubbychipotle.com/

Along with attacking chipotle's stand on using humane-only meat and non-gmo vegetable suppliers, the mystery group says that chipotle burritos have so many calories that if you eat too much of this "health food" then you'll get fat.

So anyhow, nobody knows who is funding this anti-health food campaign. Whether it's mcdonalds or wendys, or maybe factory farm corps.

Who’s behind ad campaign against Chipotle?
http://nypost.com/2015/09/04/ad-campaign-warns-that-healthy-chiptole-is-making-you-fat/

But I wonder, do they have a point about any of the above?

If chipotle says it's GMO-free, then why is it using genetically modified corn syrup in the sodas?

Are they right or wrong, that not giving animals antibiotics actually causes more herd deaths from infection? About the antibiotic thing, I was just assuming it was like free range and the animals have more space and then don't need constant antibiotics.

Also, too much antibiotics is actually dangerous because that breeds superbugs.

[Strummer]

So anyhow, nobody knows who is funding this anti-health food campaign

[kanon]

So anyhow, nobody knows who is funding this anti-health food campaign. Whether it's mcdonalds or wendys, or maybe factory farm corps.

Who’s behind ad campaign against Chipotle?

Some pundits speculated that a competitor like McDonald’s or Wendy’s might be behind it, but the libertarian-leaning nonprofit claiming responsibility, the Center for Consumer Freedom, said,
“There is no single company or industry paying for the campaign.”

Led by longtime Washington, DC, lobbyist Richard Berman, who also runs public relations firm Berman & Co., the CCF was started in 1996 to take on activists from all walks of life, including the Humane Society of the United States, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and even former Big Apple Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was the force behind the city’s smoking ban and other health initiatives.

Obviously, the Grocery Manufacturers Association is the likely suspect. They may be afraid that companies like Chipotle will gain a reputation as GMO free and be successful, possibly starting a trend.

But I wonder, do they have a point about any of the above?

Well, I'm thinking of Dumb and Dumber, like wow man. What I really hope is this starts a trend of negative advertizing, where all the corporations spend billions defaming each other causing consumers worldwide to become confused and stop buying crap.

[Sixstrings]

@kanon

Interesting things of note: "superpac" style negative advertising with unnamed donors, now in the business world.

Secondly, there should be some regulation about "gmo free" claims, just truth in advertising etc.

And some clarity about the farm conditions -- presumably, they are much better than factory farms anyhow.

And then the antibiotics issue, is questionable. Main thing with that is improve the animals' conditions and then you dont need antibiotics in the feed every day.

(edited for brevity, trying to work on the rambling )