By Candice Choi, Food Industry Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --McDonald's says global sales declined again in February, including a 4 percent drop in the U.S. where it is fighting to reinvigorate its image.
The world's biggest hamburger chain has been struggling to hold onto customers amid shifting tastes and intensifying competition, including a slew of places that position themselves as more wholesome alternatives. In a statement Monday, McDonald's conceded "consumer needs and preferences have changed" and that its recent performance shows it needs to evolve.
Going forward, it said its goal would be to "reassert McDonald's as a modern, progressive burger company."
Already, McDonald's has been signaling that changes are on the way. In January, it said CEO Don Thompson would step down and be replaced by Steve Easterbrook, its chief brand officer.
That change took effect at the start of March and coincided with a "Turnaround Summit" for U.S. franchisees in Las Vegas last week, which the company said was designed to give "renewed energy and focus" to restaurant operations.
For February, McDonald's blamed the sales decline in the U.S. on "ongoing aggressive competitive activity."
The drop at established locations came despite a promotion that let randomly selected customers pay with acts of "loving," such as a fist bump or hug. The two-week promotion was part of a new advertising push that tries to link McDonald's with the positive emotion of loving, rather than focusing too heavily on deals.
One change some customers in the U.S. could see relatively soon is an option that lets them build their own burgers by tapping a touch screen. McDonald's has said it plans to roll out that "Create Your Taste" program to as many as 2,000 restaurants this year. The program is part of the focus on giving people greater flexibility to customize their orders, which executives say is increasingly valued by customers.
On ingredients, McDonald's also said last week it would limit the use of antibiotics in chicken within the next two years. Executives have also hinted that the company might simplify recipes to remove preservatives in some items.
In the division including Asia, the Middle East and Africa, McDonald's said sales fell 4.4 percent in February. The company's reputation has suffered particularly in Japan, where customers have reported finding various objects in their food. In China, McDonald's is trying to recover over a food quality scandal involving a major supplier.
Sales edged up 0.7 percent in Europe for the month.
Overall, McDonald's says global sales fell 1.7 percent at established locations in February when including other regions the company doesn't break out.
McDonald's, based in Oak Brook, Illinois, has more than 36,000 locations around the world. Its shares slipped about 1 percent to $96.19 in premarket trading.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More