Final answer:
The assertion that McDonald's Arch Deluxe failed due to being low in fat is false. It was due to marketing missteps rather than its nutritional profile. Fats are needed in moderation, but a fat-free trend led to unhealthier eating habits and weight gain for some people.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the McDonald's Arch Deluxe sandwich failed because it was too low in fat and therefore not tasty enough is false. In reality, the failure of McDonald's Arch Deluxe can be attributed to a range of factors, including target market misalignment and marketing miscalculations, rather than its fat content or taste alone.
In the 1990s, fat-free foods indeed became popular among individuals attempting to lose weight. It was later concluded by many dieticians that the fat-free trend might have actually contributed to people becoming less healthy and heavier. This counterintuitive outcome could have occurred because removing fat from foods often meant increasing sugars or carbohydrates to compensate for flavor and texture, leading to higher calorie consumption overall. In general, fats are an essential part of our diet, necessary for good health in moderation, but they can be harmful in excess.
The Arch Deluxe was actually positioned as a more sophisticated, adult-oriented burger with a higher fat content compared to typical 'low-fat' diet foods, and this marketing misalignment could be one reason for its failure.