In a bid to win the business of more health-conscious consumers, McDonald’s is cutting artificial preservatives from its most popular offering, Chicken McNuggets, as well as from select breakfast items such as scrambled eggs and sausage, Bloomberg reports.
The chain will also remove high-fructose corn syrup from its sandwich buns, Bloomberg noted, citing a Monday announcement from the chain’s U.S. president, Mike Andres.
Reports surfaced earlier this year that McDonald’s planned to offer a cleaned-up version of Chicken McNuggets prior to the start of the Summer Olympics, but the item was then still being tested.
McDonald’s is aiming be “more vocal” about improvements made to its food and menu, CEO Steve Easterbrook noted on an earnings call last week.
That commitment is underscored by the recent launch of the chain’s “The Simpler The Better” campaign, which touts its “progress … made in the areas that matter most to our customers,” Easterbrook said. McDonald’s sought to trademark the phrase “The Simpler The Better” earlier this year, prompting some speculation that it would scrap its longtime “I’m Lovin’ It” tagline.
Domestic comps at McDonald’s rose 1.8% during the second quarter, falling below analysts’ predictions and slowing from the 5%-plus growth rate the chain had seen in recent quarters.
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