Pizza chefs in Italy saw red when fast-food giant McDonald’s advertised that Italian children prefer a Happy Meal to a pizza.
The True Neapolitan Pizza Association, representing pizza makers across the country, said it is even considering legal action “to end this shameful attack on a symbol of the Mediterranean diet”.
Its vice president said: "We've had enough of them making money at the expense of children's health.”
He added: "It is not the first time and it will not be the last time that McDonald's has tried to attack our cultural traditions but this time we are intent on taking action, which if we win, will allow us to invest in courses to help educate children about food."
McDonald’s said that pizza is an “institution” in Italy but that “even the pizza chefs of Naples have probably bought their children to us at least once". Not missing the chance for further promotion, it invited any children who had not had a McDonald’s experience “to come see us”.
The 20-second video shows a small boy and his parents in a pizzeria saying he wanted a Happy Meal instead of a pizza. The advert on the website of La Repubblica has received many complaints.
Eduardo Pagnani, co-owner of the famous Pizzeria Brandi restaurant in Naples, said it was "blasphemy" to suggest children preferred hamburgers. "Don't ridicule pizza: it is quality food and the best known in the world," he said.
The well known Slow Food movement was born in Italy after a 1986 demonstration against opening a McDonald's at the Spanish Steps in Rome. The movement defends regional traditions, good food and gastronomic enjoyment.
