Toulouge refuses to host the 17th McDonald’s in the Eastern Pyrenees

There is no McDonald’s in my town: that, in a nutshell, is the message that the municipal council of Toulouse (Eastern Pyrenees) wanted to convey with this proposal, voted unanimously on March 29th. “Protecting the health and well-being of (their) fellow citizens” is the main reason given by the mayor of the Catalan city, Nicolas Barth.

No forcing effect

“We think it is necessary to remember that the Pyrenees-Orientales department has one of the highest per capita consumption of fast food in the country,” states the first adviser, agreeing with the lack of coercive effect of such a proposal. “We hope they will respect our decision,” he continues.

McDonald’s economic argument – creating an average of 47 direct and indirect full-time jobs – won’t change anything. This restaurant in Toulouge will be the 17th restaurant of the American brand in the Catalan department. This company, whose leadership was accepted at the mayor’s office, would like to be created on the site of the Nature Innov garden center, not far from the Tuluzha stadium and not far from the college. Too close to the already existing fast food offer, points out the municipal council, which recalls that “there are four McDonald’s restaurants within a seven-minute drive of Toulouse: Thuir, Saint-Charles, the Auchan commercial space and Porte d’Espagne.”

Without forgetting, Nicolas Barthes insists, “municipal policy is aimed at protecting local business and good food.” Also highlighted: olfactory, noise and visual interference, as well as “air pollution” with the risk of increased traffic flows.