Photo / Matthew Gidley
How to square such an ecological sentiment, then, with the fact that 20% of all meals served will come from McDonalds? A major sponsor of the IOC, the hamburger hegemon has secured a plum deal for itself as the sole branded restauranteur in the Olympic Village; the only other branded goodies on sale will be Cadbury's chocolate, while Coca-Cola will be liberally available. Maybe we can gorge ourselves to fitness on junk food?
During the bidding process, much was made of the Games' ability to transform us from an increasingly rotund, health-shy nation of sofa-bound tubbies, into a country whose slender physiques would be the envy of the known world. Should we be concerned that 2012 has already been co-opted into a giant platform for dishing out quarter pounders and Dairy Milk? Or should we just accept that, as a spokesperson for the company puts it: "Without commercial sponsors like McDonald's the games simply wouldn't happen."