McDonald’s UK Promotes Mental Health Awareness By Removing the Smile From Happy Meals

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If you didn’t get the memo, we’re smack dab amid Mental Health Awareness Week (May 13 through May 19th). Initiated by the Mental Health Foundation in 2001, it aims to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health and support people in understanding and prioritizing mental health.

This year, McDonald’s UK has taken a newsworthy step to support Mental Health Awareness Week as the fast food chain redesigned its Happy Meal packaging, temporarily removing the brand’s beloved smile. In collaboration with BBC Children in Need, the brand is initiating critical conversations about mental health, with a special focus on children. The campaign, dubbed “The Meal,” is a collaborative effort with Leo Burnett UK and Ready10, and it addresses the concerning fact that almost half of UK children feel pressured to consistently feel happy, which absolutely sounds like no fun at all.