Introduction
In today’s rapidly evolving world, promoting fast food to children through marketing and advertising has emerged as a significant issue, with numerous experts highlighting the ethical concerns surrounding the utilization of mascots like Happy to endorse these products. Incorporating vibrant colors, animated characters, and other captivating visuals in fast food advertising can impede children’s ability to make well-informed dietary selections. The employment of mascots like Happy in marketing fast food to young people raises ethical concerns. It undermines their ability to make informed eating choices, necessitating a collaborative effort from all parties involved to empower children to choose healthier alternatives.
Ethics of Marketing Fast Food to Children
The use of Happy, McDonald’s new mascot, to promote to kids raises ethical concerns since it might be challenging for kids to make wise eating decisions. Children who are not exposed to the mascot are more susceptible to other types of persuasion, which can lead to the formation of harmful ideas about food products (Bredeson & Goree, 2012). Using mascots like Happy to advertise fast food to children is controversial, as it has been linked to a rise in childhood obesity and other health issues (Guo et al., 2021). Since they lack the cognitive capacity to analyze and oppose marketing and advertising messages, research has revealed that young children are particularly vulnerable to them. Additionally, exposure to the promotion of unhealthy meals may contribute to the development of negative concepts about food and body image.
Young children exposed to these messages may grow to perceive unhealthy meals as “normal” or appealing. It can lead to a lifelong pattern of poor eating habits and detrimental effects on a child’s health. Given these concerns, some proponents have called for more robust guidelines on marketing and advertising aimed at children and restrictions on using mascots like Happy. Some have claimed that parents play a significant role in teaching their children good eating habits and setting a good example for them.
Strengthening Children’s Ability to Resist Persuasive Advertising
To ensure that children are not exposed to negative marketing messages and are equipped with the skills necessary to make healthy choices, a coordinated effort from all stakeholders, including politicians, parents, and the food industry, is ultimately required. Fast food chains often utilize vibrant colors, cartoon characters, and other appealing imagery to appeal to children’s taste preferences and foster a favorable association with their products. These strategies can make it challenging for children to make informed food choices, especially if they are constantly exposed to messages that encourage them to select unhealthy foods.
Fast-food restaurants have long understood how marketing can influence kids’ eating preferences. By employing vibrant colors and eye-catching graphics for their menu items, they may attract children’s attention and foster a sense of excitement about their products (Ibrahim et al., 2020). These marketing strategies, when combined with the employment of well-known celebrities or cartoon characters, foster a sense of familiarity and trust in the minds of young consumers.
A downside of these approaches is that they can make it more difficult for children to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy foods. Even when they are aware of the detrimental effects frequent intake of fast food has on their health, youngsters may find it difficult to resist the temptation of the cuisine due to the abundance of seductive imagery and persuasive messaging. Furthermore, research has shown that youngsters frequently exposed to fast food advertising are more likely to consume these items. Long-term health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, may result.
Limiting exposure to these advertisements and educating kids about the value of choosing healthy foods are critical steps in reducing the harmful impacts of fast food marketing on kids. It can be accomplished through school-based nutrition education programs, public awareness campaigns, and legislative restrictions on fast food marketing to children. By arming children with the information and resources they need to make wise decisions, people can contribute to ensuring a healthy future for the following generation.
McDonald’s or its mascots in the company’s charitable endeavors is considered unethical due to the harmful impact of fast food advertising on children. Research has shown that advertising to children promotes harmful worldviews like materialism and consumerism while spreading false information about the nutritional value of unhealthy foods. The adverse effects of children consuming these meals can lead to health issues, such as obesity, which undermines the company’s positive impact of charitable giving (Guo et al., 2021). The long-term impacts of harmful advertisements and the financial implications of lifestyles influenced by advertising campaigns are also important considerations in this discussion. Therefore, using McDonald’s or its mascots in charitable endeavors can be seen as a way to indirectly promote unhealthy eating habits to children, which is considered unethical by many.
Improving Menu Quality to Support Healthier Eating Habits
The menus at McDonald’s and other restaurants need to be made healthier. Children would benefit from nutritious diets, as they support the development of strong bones, a healthy weight, increased activity levels, and improved academic focus (Nutritionist Resource, 2016). According to research, children’s early eating habits can have a lasting impact on their health and well-being.
To ensure the health and nutrition of their young patrons, restaurants—including fast-food franchises like McDonald’s—must prioritize this by offering healthier menu options. Reducing the quantity of added sugars, salt, and bad fats in meals is one method to make menus healthier. Restaurants may utilize more nutritious grains, lean meats, and fresh products. Instead of offering fried meals and sugary beverages, McDonald’s could provide healthier alternatives, such as grilled chicken sandwiches, salads, and fruit cups.
Another strategy is to clearly and accurately describe the nutritional value of each menu item (Ibrahim et al., 2020). This information can inspire eateries to enhance the nutritional content of their menu items while also helping parents and children make informed food choices (Ibrahim et al., 2020). Healthier menu alternatives can help companies attract consumers who are willing to pay more for wholesome food and benefit children’s health (Ibrahim et al., 2020). It may help the restaurant have a stronger brand identity and generate more business.
Educational and Policy Interventions to Promote Healthy Choices
Fostering healthy eating habits and curbing children’s exposure to detrimental food advertisements necessitate a well-rounded strategy. Incorporating educational programs that emphasize the benefits of wholesome diets for children’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development into school curricula can be beneficial. Curtailing children’s access to media advertising and unhealthy meals can be achieved by implementing policies that restrict the use of mascots and other enticing visuals in fast food marketing targeted at young audiences. Parents and caregivers can also play a crucial role in promoting healthy eating habits by modeling good behaviors and encouraging their children to choose nutritious foods. By adopting a mix of these approaches, the facilitation of informed food choices can be achieved, resulting in improved health outcomes and a promising future.
Children must be aware of the advantages of a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats to promote healthy eating habits. It may be accomplished in several ways, such as through family participation, health campaigns, and school instruction. Parents and educators may also involve children in meal planning and preparation to encourage them to try new foods. Another critical step to encouraging good eating habits is restricting children’s access to specific adverts. Advertising is quite persuasive; kids are frequently presented with unhealthy food alternatives that are high in fat, sugar, and salt.
Due to this exposure, people may eat unhealthier foods more frequently and consume excessive amounts of junk food, which can harm their health. Policymakers may set limitations on food advertising to children to address this issue. Children’s TV programming can help prohibit advertisements for unhealthy food options, and parents should keep a close eye on their kids’ exposure to digital media that encourages poor eating habits. Additionally, schools may restrict the selection of unhealthy foods in their cafeterias and vending machines.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident from this essay that selling food is a complex process. The ethical problems outlined and explored in this article show that running food-selling businesses requires talent, particularly in marketing (Bredeson & Goree, 2012). Therefore, it is crucial for companies that sell food to prioritize ethical issues while operating their businesses (Bredeson & Goree, 2012). This article shows customers are becoming more concerned about sustainability, animal welfare, and fair work standards. Businesses may suffer reputational harm and financial losses if these issues are not addressed.
Food-selling firms must be proactive and open to addressing these complex ethical issues successfully. It entails establishing strict ethical rules and standards, regularly evaluating and updating them, and maintaining transparency with stakeholders (Bredeson & Goree, 2012). It also calls for a commitment to ongoing development, including investing in ethical and sustainable supply chains, supporting local communities, and mitigating environmental impacts.
In addition to moral issues, marketing is essential to the profitability of enterprises that sell food. Effective marketing techniques enable companies to stand out in a crowded market and cultivate a loyal clientele. Nevertheless, marketing strategies must be truthful and transparent, avoiding methods that can mislead or deceive consumers and erode their trust in the brand.
References
Bredeson, D., & Goree, K. (2012). Ethics in the Workplace. Cengage Learning.
Guo, Y., Lan, X., Shi, H., & Song, Y. (2021). Adolescent Obesity: Case study of McDonald’s Happy Meal. In 2021 3rd International Conference on (Economic Management and Cultural Industry,1483-1488). Atlantis Press.
Ibrahim, N. F., Arunasalan, T. D., & Mohamed, N. A. (2020). Cheap vs. healthy: Analyzing McDonald’s menu using linear programming. Bulletin of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, 9(2), 771-776.