Fast Food Abuse - Essay Example

Introduction Several people around the globe prefer to consume fast food despite the negative impacts of consumption of these fast food items on the health of human beings. Fast food is considered as junk food that can be prepared, processed and served very quickly. Burgers, French fries, wraps and carbonated cold drinks are considered as fast food items. The fast food restaurant industry is achieving significant growth rate due to increase in market demand and needs of target customers. Kids, children and busy office executives are the major target customers of these fast food products. However, too much consumption of fast food is injurious to health. These fast food items come under the criticism over the concerns that are ranging from claimed negative effect on health. Fast food items are generally high in sugar, cholesterol, calorie and fat contents that can seriously affect the health nutrition balance. Looking into several claims, issues and problems, governments of several global countries are trying to restrict the marketing communication activities of several fast food products (Bernhardt and Sergeant e72479). In spite of all the difficulties and health related issues, people prefer to consume fast food items due to busy work schedule and implementation of unique promotional campaigning by the fast food restaurant chains. This is an argumentative essay. The essay will argue in support of following thesis statement. Thesis Statement “Although we know the health risks I believe American continue to consume large quantities of fast food due to limited consumption time and aggressive marketing activities of fast food organizations”. Discussion Fast food products are highly popular among the kids and teenagers in the United States of America. According to a survey of a health media agency, near about one-third of entire US children consume fast food on daily basis. Major problem arises when it comes to the result or output. Almost 60% children of total fast food consumer have the tendency to gain extra fat. It is quite critical to say that the tendency to consume fast food and gaining extra fat is causing health obesity that can cause several critical diseases in near future. Children, kids and young generation people are the major target customers of these fast food restaurant chains (Schlosser 32). In spite of all these issues and challenges the people of the United States of America are still preferring fast food products. Several leading organizations are targeting these customer segments as it is easy to influence these customers to consume fast food items. In addition to this, good taste of the fast food products motivates the target customers to visit several leading fast food chain outlets. People prefer to consume several fast food items due to their daily busy work schedule. The concept of fast food products evolved in the early 20th century. Consumption of fast food has several advantages and benefits. First of all, these fast food products need limited time to get prepared and introduced to the customers. On the other hand, good taste of food items and significant physical ambiance of the fast food restaurant chain attract the people of young generation to experience these food items. Last but not the least; high brand familiarity of leading fast food chain restaurants around the globe and economically priced food products attract people from different income and cultural segment towards these food items. Too much consumption of fast food is quite risky for health. Fast food is considered as junk food. High consumption of fast food can affect the nutrition balance of health of the human beings. Fast food items are enriched in high fat elements, cholesterol, sugar and calories that can cause obesity. There are several serious side effects of huge consumption of the fast food items. People used to gain extra weight due to the high consumption of fast food items. Due to busy work schedule, people cannot get significant time to work out in order to lose the extra body weight and stay fit (Kumar and Kaur 1). On the other hand, unique promotional activities attract the kids and children towards the fast food brands. Childe obesity has become a serious concern for the society. Heart diseases, cancer and respiratory problems are the major consequences of too much fast food consumption. Looking into these issues and challenges, several media agencies and governmental regulatory bodies restricted some production and marketing process of the fast food chain organizations around the globe. In addition to this, governments in several countries developed several policies for these organizations to stop the production of some fast food items that badly harm the human health. However, leading fast food organizations like McDonald’s, KFC and Subway are trying to introduce several healthy fast food products to maintain the nutrition balance in the human body. It is true that these leading organizations still maintain their positive business performances and large potential customer base, but the time has come for the companies to consider sustainable business operation strategies. Now-a-days, several leading organizations, such as McDonalds, KFC and others are trying to invest huge capital in the promotional activities. As it is discussed earlier that children, kids and young teen agers are the major target customers of these types of fast food products, these target customers can easily get influenced to a particular product group. Effective and unique promotions and online promotional activities help the organizations to develop a potential client base (Hales 165). However, the organizations are trying to maintain effective customer relationship with strong PR and CRM activities. Due to these reasons, the number of young target customers is rapidly increasing comparing to matured adult customers. Several healthcare agencies and governmental regulatory bodies are trying to make aware the entire community about the harm of too much fast food consumption. Wraps, sandwiches, burgers, fries and carbonated soft drinks are the major hast food product portfolios that are highly popular among the kids, children and people of young generation. Leading business organizations around the globe are trying to capitalize on the opportunities that are developed due to globalization and technological advancement. The taste and preference of people in this world are changing from necessary products to the differentiated product lines due to emergence of modern technology and the unique business process strategies that are developed and implemented by the leading organizations (Day and Jamie 113-121). Global fast food industry is highly competitive and potential. The authors have stated that the nature of the current fast food market is forcing and encouraging the leading fast food chain restaurants to adopt and develop aggressive and unique marketing strategies to gain potential competitive advantages that can help the organizations to develop significant customer base around the globe. Despite the disadvantages, major reasons behind the high consumption of fast food items by American consumers are provided below. Reasons behind the Consumption of Fast Food in Spite of Several Health Issues High brand value and strong global market presence is motivating the Americans to consume fast food products in a large quantity. McDonald’s, KFC, Subway and Burger King are the leading global fast food chain restaurants. These organizations have strong global presence due to the globalization and demand for the fast food items in global market place. These organizations implemented several differentiated and unique business strategies to attract the global customers. The basic human psychology supports that the people generally tend to become loyal towards a leading global brand. It is true that these organizations are constantly trying to introduce differentiated products in order to increase the brand value and gain high customer loyalty (Ashley and Ralph 1208-1212). These organizations are targeting each and every target customer segment with differentiated products lines. These strong product portfolios of different organizations are motivating people of different ages, cultures and religious backgrounds to experience the taste of the products. Therefore, it can be stated that high brand value and effective product differentiation strategy of several leading fast food retail chains are motivating people of the United States of America to consume fast food products. Generally brand value of the organization depends upon customer loyalty, competency and uniqueness of products, and customer service (Kirsten and Appetite 349-357). There are several leading organizations within the global fast food industry whose brand value is high due to competency of particular products. McDonald’s gained high brand value throughout the years due to quality burgers. On the other hand, KFC gained high brand value due to quality chicken. These values motivate people to visit fast food shops. Strong promotional campaigning is the major reasons behind the consumption of fast food items. The leading fast food chain organizations are used to implement online, digital and print media promotional strategy that help the organizations to target a wide array of target customer group. In addition to this, aggressive and strong branding strategy motivates a large number of people to experience the taste of differentiated fast food items. Although the consumption of fast food products has several negative impacts on the human health, but attractive and unique marketing communication strategies are motivating people of several ages to become loyal to different leading fast food retail chains (Andreyeva and Harris 221-233). Recently, several leading fast food retail chains have introduced online order processing and delivery activities. These strategies have increased the acceptance level of the fast food among the target customers. it has been identified that several bachelors and single house hold in the United States of America generally prefers online order processing and online delivery of fast food as these are time and cost consuming activities. Kids and children are the major target customers of fast food products. It has been identified that several leading organizations are using television as major advertising and promotional media for the fast food products. Children and kids always love to watch television (Stead and Ashley 1131-1139). The commercials of fast food products between the interval time period of a particular sport or a movie or a program take the attraction of children and kids. These promotional activities usually guide this particular target customer segment to have fast food without knowing the health issues related with the consumption of fast food products. The digital media promotional activities for the fast food products have been controlled by the government. Kids and children love to watch Television after coming home from school or completing home work at evening. It is true that several organizations develop advertisements and promotional activities majorly for young individuals as it is known to all that young kids easily can get attracted through attractive digital media adverts. Kids or children used to watch television when they used to stay at home. In spite of several governmental regulations and policies, the kids and people of young generation prefer differentiated and tasty fast food product item. Therefore, it can be stated that effective marketing communication tools used by several leading fast food organizations has strong impact on the purchasing decision of the consumers (Mulvaney-Day and Womack. 357-363). Fast food products are known as economic priced food products. These aspects encourage several individuals of different ages and income group to consume fast food. Recent financial crisis and global economic recession is forcing people of middle class income group to consume these economic priced fast food products (Keller and Steven 1068-1073). It is quite difficult for common people to afford luxurious meals in restaurants. It is known to all that each and every fast manufacturing and processing retail chain is implementing competitive pricing strategy in order to develop a potential global client base. However, this price effectiveness of several fast food items is motivating the economic class people to hang around with friends or families and consume a meal in economic price level. McDonald’s is known as one of the leading fast food chain around the globe. The organization has a strong global presence. Most importantly, the organization introduces differentiated products in different countries based on the culture of the countries and taste or preferences of the people of those countries. The major competency of this organization is that this organization used to provide economic priced fast food products as well as premium priced fast food products. This effective implementation of cost leadership and differentiation strategy helps the organization to develop potential client base around the global market place ((McPhail and Beagan 301-307). Huge social influence is motivating the leading fast food chain restaurants to introduce differentiated product lines in economic price. United States of America is considered as socially developed country. People of this country always try to spend their time with friends, families and belongings in several restaurants, coffee shops or in a hang out. The fast food organizations effectively understood the demand of customers. Fast food retail chain organizations like KFC and McDonald’s always tries to enhance social value of the target or any store customer. People can organize birthday parties or any get-together by approaching these stores. It is true that organizing a birthday party or any kind of celebration party would not add much profit in the accounts book of the organization, bust most importantly it will help the organization to gain effective social value and customer loyalty. Apart from all these things, several business executives used to give parties to their sub-ordinates or colleagues in a restaurant of McDonald’s or KFC. It is highly important for an organization to take care each and every aspect of a customer to sustain in competitive global business environment. However, it is clear from the mentioned facts that despite the negative consequences the people of the United States of America prefer consumption of fast food due to strong brand value and high social acceptability. Now-a-days people prefer to consume time effective meals and food items. It is known to all that fast food products can be produced, processed and delivered within a quick period of time. Daily busy work schedule and value for time force the people to consume fast food items. Most importantly, people can consume differentiated fast food items within a quick period of time in economic price. It is discussed earlier that recent financial crisis and global economic recession affected the global economic environment. The job stress and job pressure of the individuals within the workplaces are significantly increasing due to reducing job security. Therefore, the daily life schedule of the individuals is getting busier. People are trying to focus on career rather than basic things in this economic distress situation. Therefore, time management has become one of the important aspects. Now-a-days, people can consume these fast food products by providing order online company website. This efficiency and time effectiveness motivates the people of the United States of America to consume fast food products. Effective customer service of the restaurants is the major growth drivers of the global fast food industry. It is clear from the above discussions that effective brand performance, economic pricing strategy and significant marketing communication activities are helping global fast food organizations to develop potential competitive advantages. Now-a-days, tendency of people has changed significantly. People prefer the products and services from those organizations or stores in which they can get effective customer service. Leading global fast food chains adopted this concept in their business operation strategies. It can be identified in a KFC or a McDonald’s store that each and every store employee is trying to maintain quick operation process to enhance customer service. It is known to all that people generally consume fast food due to save valuable time. Quick customer service and processing of food within quick period of time motivates people to Global consumers are demanding good customer value and effective customer services along with quality products against their money or expenses. For an example, the unique ordering and food processing process of McDonald’s is quite unique. This unique business operation process motivates the Americans to visit a McDonald’s store quite frequently. It is highly important for each and every organization within the industry to consider new and unique business operation strategies as the customers can switch over product and brand in case of better customer services. Although the fast food are junk foods, but effective customer service attracts the people of the United States of America towards the stores of several leading fast food organizations. Conclusion and Reflection It is clear from above discussion that the despite the negative consequences and health issues the people of the United States of America are continuing to consume fast food products because of strong brand vale of several leading global fast food organizations and low consumption time of these food products. Global fast food retail chain industry is becoming highly competitive as several leading organizations are trying to implement unique business and marketing communication strategies in the business processes. Their strong and aggressive promotional activities are motivating people of different demographic and cultural background to consume fast food products. People generally prefer fast food items as these food items need limited time to get manufactured, processes and delivered to the end customers. In addition to this, it is highly important for the people to save more money and consume lesser products. The fast food retail chains are implementing competitive pricing strategy in order to provide products in economic price level. It is true that the recent economic slowdown is forcing the people of the United States of America to consume economic priced products. In addition to this, low preparation and delivery time is motivating the customers to become loyal customers of several leading fast food chains. It is true that people can face several health related issues in case of high consumption of fast food products. But, high social trend and innovative ideas in the business operation processes is motivating global customers to buy these fast food products. Looking into these aspects, discussed evidences and arguments, it can be stated that “Although we know the health risks I believe American continue to consume large quantities of fast food due to limited consumption time and aggressive marketing activities of fast food organizations”. 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