While the French are known for their culinary expertise, more people are consuming sugary foods and drinks, and the government is worried that the nation is transforming itself from cheese connoisseurs into snackers of cheesy bites, moving from a country of artisanal draft ale lovers into consumers of sweet bottled beer.
The best example of this trend towards processed food is that of McDonald's. In 1979, the fast food giant opened its first restaurant in Strasbourg and then strategically spread to all the big cities and, later, to all shopping centers, railways, and motorway service stations to reach as many consumers as possible. France is now the most significant market after the U.S., with 1,707 branches nationwide.
