Whoever the food photographer of this McDonald’s ad definitely deserves a raise.
A Russian woman is alleging that a photo advertisement for a McDonald’s cheeseburger was so tempting she couldn’t help herself and broke her fast during Lent.
With this, Ksenia Ovchinnikova, an Orthodox Christian from Omsk, Russia, is suing one of the world’s largest fast-food restaurant chains, alleging that its delectable-looking billboard banners forced her to break her fast for Lent.
McDonald’s is being accused of breaking the law and insulting the woman’s religious beliefs by selling delectable meat products during a season when Christians try to avoid eating meat and other animal products. She is seeking compensation for 1,000 rubles for the moral harm she has suffered.
In a statement, Ovchinnikova says that she was walking around in the city of Omsk during Lent back in 2019 when her eyes were drawn to an advertisement with photos of McDonald’s signature dishes — the Cheeseburger and Chicken McNuggets.
Not having eaten meat for roughly a month at that point and having faithfully observed Lent fasting for 16 years prior — the woman “succumbed” to the mouthwatering photos and ordered herself a cheeseburger, only to regret it after finishing the meal.
Here’s what Ksenia Ovchinnikova wrote in her statement:
“By this point, I had already been fasting for a month, but when I saw an advertising banner, I could not help myself. I visited McDonald’s and bought a cheeseburger. In the actions of McDonald’s, I see a violation of the consumer protection law. I ask the court to investigate and, if a violation has taken place, to oblige McDonald’s LLC to compensate me for moral damage in the amount of one thousand rubles.”
Readers of Daily Mail believe this woman is taking things too far.
“That’s like suing a lingerie ad because it made a man cheat on his wife.”
“Always someone else’s fault, whatever happened to taking responsibility for one’s own actions?”
“Did she take into account that not everyone is fasting for lent due to religious reasons, and they do want to see an advertisement for hamburgers?”
A staunch critic even said that Russia should “charge her for wasting court’s time.”
One person joked: “I saw an advert for an electric car and immediately felt an urge to become a lefty greeno loser- can I sue the manufacturer concerned?”
As of this writing, there is no update whatsoever on what happened to her claim. However, it is possible that McDonald’s could be taken to court in Russia for advertising their enticing meat products during lent.