McDonald's Germany to Focus on Healthy Fare

After a slight loss in profits last year, the fast food chain McDonald's is planning a campaign to give itself a more healthy, sporty image. The campaign will focus on healthier McDonald's offerings, such as salads. Despite opening 33 new restaurants in 2003, overall profits were off by €8 million ($10 million). While Germans ate more frequently at the restaurant chain last year, they spent less per visit--an average of €28.40 in 2003, down from €31 from the year before. The image update will put the focus on a "healthy lifestyle," according to Adriaan Hendrikx, head of McDonald's Germany. "We don't see ourselves as part of the problem, rather as part of the solution," he told daily Berliner Zeitung. The focus will be on products such as its grilled chicken burger and light desserts as well as new salads developed by three-star French chef Olivier Pichot.