Brazil Fines McDonald’s For Happy Meals

The Hamburgler, not to mention Ronald McDonald, has taken a legal hit in Brazil. A consumer protection agency in the state of Sao Paolo has taken aim at the Happy Meal, fining McDonald’s Corp. $1.6 million for targeting children with its advertising and toys. The fine stemmed from a 2010 campaign offering meals with toys from the movie “Avatar” and a local television series.

Much of the debate centers on how McDonald’s and other quick-service companies market to children and other young consumers.

Consumer agencies in other jurisdictions could also soon follow the precedent in Brazil’s most populous state. In the United States, toys in Happy Meals and other children’s meals have already been banned in a number of West Coast communities.