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Unethical Food Marketing: A preview
By
Ekta Jain
Senior Lecturer
Institute Of Management Studies, Roorkee
[email protected]
9997208380, 9719355572
Unethical Food Marketing: A preview
Abstract
Marketing is the tool, which could have direct influence on its consumers.
Therefore marketers should owe the responsibility towards its consumers. With
the liberalization of economies MNC food chains are entering are entering in
different cultures with their international name and services. Fast food market has
grown faster than most other segments. Fast food has been proved as the most
hazardous element for both physical and mental health of every individual
irrespective of age, gender, nationality etc. Companies offering such foods are
using lucrative marketing methods to promote their unhealthy food items.
Children could be easily influenced and promoted as loyal consumers. It is the
study of 400 children of different regions, society and culture to generate a view
regarding their attitude towards the awareness of source of unhealthy food. Being
an individual, it is the responsibility of each of us to realize about ill effects of
such food items and to take some result oriented actions towards such activities.
Keywords: Consumer, Ethics, Fast food, Marketing, Marketing Strategies,
Market Segmentation
Introduction
With the beginning of the 19th century, when people work for more than half of
the whole 24 hours of a day, the thing, which got highly affected, is the food and
eating habits. Marketers took the advantage and with the evolution of the
Industrial age market forces have redefined the needs and wants of the consumers
in every sphere of their life including their food habits. They designed their
strategies to change the lifestyle and likings or disliking of the consumers by
creating need for those products which were not required till now. Changing
psychology has led to redefine the needs of the society for convenient products
and their ill impact on health cannot be ignored. Marketers for the sake of their
profit and success are playing with the health of the consumers, which has shown
the negative effects on the health of the consumers. There is a direct link between
advertising and its influence on children and family spending. It influences diet
habits particularly it creates a tendency to buy unhealthy food items and also
creates conflicts due to child influence on family spending.
Marketing
Marketing concept was born out of the awareness that marketing starts with the
determination of consumer wants and ends with the satisfaction of those
wants1.Marketing is the process of creating or directing an organization to be
successful in selling a product or service that people not only desire, but are
willing to buy. Marketing deals with identifying and meeting human and social
needs. One of shortest definition of marketing is “meeting needs profitably”.2
Marketing is a planned process, to make life long customers, which starts at an
early age till he/she becomes a loyal customer. Normally child became target
customers at the age of 1.5 or 2, when they start recognizing shapes, images and
colours. Advertising gradually builds relationship with child and over a period of
time child becomes consumer and then loyal consumer. Generally children enjoy
advertisements and get influenced easily.
Ethics refers to system of moral principles- a sense of right and wrong, good
and bad of actions and the motives and the consequences of these actions.
Business firm’s ethics is the study of good and evil, right and wrong and just and
unjust actions of business man.3Ethical system reflects prevailing values,
especially those of a moral nature. Corporate codes of conduct have been
established as a method of fostering ethical behavior among employees.4 Ethical
marketing is the marketing which provides an honest and factual representation
of a product, delivered in a framework of cultural and social values for the
consumer. It promotes qualitative benefits to its customers, which other similar
companies, products or services fail to recognize and when marketers fails for
such presentations we term it as unethical marketing.
Food & its Importance
‘Good nutrition is important for all, especially for those younger than five years
as these years are demanding for the developing child. They are the years in
which children acquire many of the physical attributes and the social and
psychological structures for life and learning’. (British Medical Association
2005). According to World Health Organisation 22 million children in the world
under the age of five years are severely overweight.
“We are what we eat" is an old proverb. Our nutritional status, health, physical
and mental faculties depend on the food we eat and how we eat it. Access to good
quality food has been man's main endeavor from the earliest days of human
existence. A healthy diet in childhood can help to prevent anemia, cancer, heart
disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity in later life.
Ill effects of Fast Food
Obesity in children arises because of the foods that are high in fructose and fat
and low in fiber. Such insulinogenic food increases the pleasure of chemical
dopamine. i.e., child wants to eat more of same type of food and reduces the
effects of the hormonal leptons. i.e., Child wants to eat more and work less.5
1. The study, published in the January 2007 issue of Public Health Nutrition,
found that the home food environment of families who ate fast food for dinner
more than three times a week consisted of more chips and soda pop and less fruits
and vegetables than families who ate fast food less than three times a week. A
higher frequency of fast food dinners was also associated with obesity and a
higher body mass index (BMI) in adults.
2. Researchers have shown a correlation between fast food, weight gain, and
insulin resistance in what appears to be the first long-term study on this subject.
The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study by
Mark Pereira, Ph.D., assistant professor in epidemiology, University of Minnesota
School of Public Health, and David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Obesity
Program at Children's Hospital Boston, reported that fast food increases the risk
of obesity diabetes.
3. Fast food is dangerous for the health. They are responsible for several types of
diseases like, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis etc.
4. According to European Medical Journal Fast food not only causes negative
effects to our body, they also affects negatively our behaviour and makes us
mentally sick.
5. Fast food also affects directly our work quality. People consuming such food
regularly are found to less efficient than those are who are not regular consumer
of these food items.
6. According to a study held at Chicago University, Junk food directly affects the
mental ability of an individual. Fresh and healthy food helps in developing the
positive metal and physical status of an individual.
7. WHO predicts by 2030 India will have 80 million diabetes, globally it would
increase to 366 million.
8. Researches indicate that fast food consumption leads to excess energy intake
and, in turn, increased risk of overweight and obesity6
9. Globally, there are more than 1 billion adults who are overweight and at least
300 million of them are clinically obese, while 800 million suffer from
malnutrition (WHO 2004).
10. Globally, there are more than 1 billion adults who are overweight and at least
300 million of them are clinically obese, while 800 million suffer from
malnutrition (WHO 2004).
Market Segmentation
Market Segmentation is the process of disaggregating the total market for a given
product into a number of sub markets. Following the Liberalisation and
globalisation, MNC Food chains like, McDonalds, Wimpy, KFC etc are entering
in different countries and establishing their market of food successfully.They
bring their culture along with them and spread it widely and eating habits are one
of them.
Parents: These food companies are targetting parents to buy these products for
their children.Their target is the young generation which is influenced by the
western culture for selling their products.Though parents are aware of the fact that
these products are not good for their children they are unable to divert their child
for taking these food items, because marketers have successfully influenced their
basic target market that is, children.
Children: Today children act as main buyers in a family.It is the youngest
individual of the family which influences the buying decisions of the family and
when it comes th the food items they really dominate the decisions to be taken.
Marketers are studying the psychology of the children, their grasping power,
fantacies attractions etc to be successful among their target market.
Habits framed during childhood are carried through adulthood. Marketers and
advertisers are well aware of the fact such consumers are the loyal consumers of
future and are less likely to switch over.7
Middle class has emerged as prominent consumer of such products.Instant
coffee, soft drinks have taken a regular place in their daily menu. Earlier people
used to have milk, cereals, chapati etc which proved to be good for the health
inspite of Unhealthy food products from food industry eg. Milk powder,
chingwm. Cold drinks, burgers etc are attracting young generation, which gives
invitation to various diseses like obesity , cholestrol etc.
Marketing Strategies
Strategy is the game plan for getting the goals of a business unit.8Urbanization has
played a key role in the successs of these easy availability of food items.Joint
families are breaking and nuclear families are on the high.More and more women
are working to improve their lifestyle and for other reasons.Having less time for
their home and especially for kitchen, they need time time saving and convenient
sources to win the battle against time. Busy schedules and stressed life of working
mothers entice them to buy the food products which has easy availability despite
of the fact that they not safe for the health. Such products are mostly sold on the
planks of ‘save time’ or ‘make your job easy’or ‘enjoy a new recipe’which blends
the life style profile of the neo middle class woman- whether working or
housewife.9
Observation of a product in public tends to encourage social acceptance and
reinforcement, resulting in the product being adopted more rapidly with less
resistence. Marketers are using this tact to intricate consumers widely.
1. They are providing quick services or free home delivery or both.
2. Marketers are using tactics to entice children and to make them feel more
inferior or less cool, if they are not buying a certain food product.
3. They are advertising their products with different myths like if children eat
Boomer chingwm, the super hero will help them to come out of the problems or
people should eat Maggi Rice mania instead of Rice.Children are fascinated to
these products.
4. They are also misguiding parents through their misleading advertisements. Eg.
Junior Horlicks. Mothers should not run after cheir small kids for proper nutrition
through proper meals, they can opt time saving and convenient supplements for
them. Children would learn unhealthy food habits from the young stage only and
further they will demand for the same.
5. They are creating illusions as these food items are status symbol and motivating
people to buy their food items like chocolates etc inspite of the trational sweets
during festivals etc.
6. Companies are using movie characters, super heroes or cartoon characters in
their packaging to promote their products.
7. Companies are introducing several schemes to attract children to buy not only
their food items but also encourage their parents for this food items.eg.
McDonalds offers free gifts inside their happy meals.
8. Companies are developing the taste of the children by providing them number
of varieties in a single product.
Taking advantages of the innocense of the children they show their unhealthy
products many times healthier than natural ones. e.g. People are preffering packed
fruit juice rather than fresh because of their easy availability and promotion
techniques.
Role of Consumers: It is not only the duty of the marketers or the business
world to look for the welfare of the consumers, government and consumers
themselves should also realize their responsibilities. It is the social responsibility
of consumers to protect the interest of the society. In India, Government has
provided six rights to consumers: Right to Safety, Right to Information, Right to
Choice, Right to Representation, Right to Redress, and Right to Consumer
Education. Consumers can have a well-organized movement to protect consumers
from unfair practices of the producers and marketers, and to enhance the rights of
the consumers in relation to producers and marketers. In many cases, the
government of the societies concerned is also on the side of consumers in this
raging battle.
Objective of the study
Children are the most precious resource of any country. With the increased levels
of income and decreased number of children along with the shrivel size of
families, the thing which has highly effected negatively is the food habits
materialism is on the high and morals are loosing their value.
1) Marketing and its impact on children
2) To study the impact of unhealthy food on child health
Research, Methodology and Scope of the study
This is a study of 400 children with different educational backgrounds. The study
moves from the children aged 3 – 18 and above years of age. The study tries to
provide answers to the changing mindset regarding eating habits and its effects on
the health of consumers, especially children.
The analysis tries to focus on the changing role of values, perception, attitude and
acceptance of marketing as a tool. It is a study to analyze the role of marketing in
influencing eating habits of consumers in the changing scenario in a developing
country like India from a different point of view. Random sampling method is used for
this study.
Out of 400 respondents we have collected data from the metro cities i.e., in and
around Delhi and cities of Uttrakhand state. 200 were from the NCR and 200
from Roorkee. Data has been collected through personal Interviews and
questionnaire.
Findings of the study :
Table I
MODE
AGE
TV/Other Ads
Parents
Society/Friends
Restaurant
3-7 (200)
125
25
35
15
8-12 (200)
120
25
50
5
13-18 (200)
120
20
50
10
18 Above
105
15
75
5
470
85
210
35
(200)
Total
1. As the age increases, the role of TV and other ads as a source of information
decreases while the role of friends increases, but still it is more than 50%
2. Similarly, the role of parents also decreases. Parents play an important role in the
life of a child and this ratio again falls with the increase of age, as their influence
decreases with the increased age of child.
3. The role of society and friends was found to be increasing with increasing age. No
doubt society and friends play an integral part in ones life and influences even taste
preferences.
4. Restaurant is at the lowest preference
Table II
No. of children
Source
Total
Delhi/NCR
Roorkee
Children
TV/Other Ads
470
250
220
Parents
85
40
45
Society/Friends
210
90
120
Restaurant
35
20
15
Total
800
400
400
1. Out of the total 800 respondents 470 children preferred for T.V. / other
ads. 250 were from Delhi/NCR and 220 from Roorkee.
2. 40 respondents from Delhi/NCR and 45 from Roorkee quoted parents as
their source of information.
3. Society and friends shows their influence more on the children of
Roorkee, which is 120 out of 210 and 90 from Delhi/NCR.
Recommendations
There are ways, which can be applied to move away children from unhealthy food
habits and to induce them towards healthy and nutritious food. Based on the
discussion with the parents and also with the respondents we have tried to find out
some of the ways, to induce nutritious eating habits to the children:
1. We learn what we see.Children need to see adults demonstrating healthy eating
and drinking habits in order to develop their own.
2. Creativity can be shown by providing variety of nutritious food.
3. Parents should invest their time and interest to develop their eating habits.
4. At least once in a day, whether, breakfast, lunch or dinner should be taken
together.
5. Involve children in purchasing food items.
6. Invest some time for developing healthy eating habits.
7. Elders should act as role models for the young generation. They need to
improve their eating habits to tranfer them into the young generation.
8. Some strong healthy substitutes of fast food should be developed.
Limitations of the study
Every study faces some limitations. No. of Respondents was restricted to 400.
Time was another constraint to limit the study. Demographic, mobility, readiness
to respond are some of the limitations of the current study.
Conclusion
Food industries are manipulating and diverting the children towards ill health.
Their basic motive is profit making rather than solving the health problems caused
by their products. These people are the criminals of the society and they see no
harm in doing such practices.
The study tries to reveal the impact of advertisement on children. How it
influences the eating behavior of children despite of their age, family, education
etc.A marketer can play a vital role in facilitating the learning process by using a
variety of rewards to encourage learning but they are using this marketing tool
unethically for profit making. These companies are escaping from their
responsibilities, as every organization should fulfill its responsibilities towards the
society because of which it survives and gain profit. A good marketer must be
able to create a proposition or set of benefits for the end consumer that delivers
value through products or services.
Despite of the fact that marketers are marketing unhealthy food products, parents
are also responsible for the consumption of such items No doubt, it is easy to
influence children but parents are the matured people who can differentiate
among good or bad. They should ignore or at least try to ignore unhealthy food
items. Parents should give priority and time to those children to whom they are
responsible.
Thus, Societies along with the marketers who are marketing unhealthy food items
targetting children should understand their duties and ethics atleast for the sake of
humanity.Time has come to wake up to enlighten and motivate the world for
healthy eating.
References :
V S Ramaswamy, S Namakumari “ Marketing Management, The Indian context” , 2nd edition,
1995 Macmillan India Ltd.
2
Philip Kotler, Kewin Lane Keller, “ Marketing Management” Prentice Hall of India Ltd. ,12 th
edition
3
George A Steiner and John F Steiner, “ Business Government and Society”, McGraw Hill, 1997,
pp 180
4
John B. Miller “ Industrial Organizational Psychology” McGraw Hill, Inc
1
5
Mass Media and Child Obesity-The advertising impact on increased weight gain- Column published by
‘Dr. Richard Visser’ in http://www.lafamily.com/display_article.php?id=1433
6
French, Harnack,and Jeffery 2000; French et al. 2001b; Paeratakul et al.2003).
7
James U. McNeal, ‘Kids as Customers: A Handbook of Marketing to children New York: Lexington
Books, 1992, p. 91
Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane Keller,Abraham Koshy, Mithileshwar Jha, “ Marketing Management:
A South Asian Perspective”, Prentice Hall, 12th edition pp 52.
9
V S Ramaswamy, S Namakumari “ Marketing Management, The Indian context” , 2 nd edition,
1995
Macmillan India Ltd.
8