Whether It Is Ethical or Even Effective to Sue Fast Food Industry or Individual Companies - Essay Example

The consequences of consuming a high fat, high sugar, and additive food (Gumbel) supplied by fast-food chains like McDonald’s is evident in the movie Super Size Me (Spurlock). The food culture of America is highly influenced by the advertisements of fast food chains which is responsible for the rise in the rate of obesity among people and the resultant health cost and the reduction in the life span. It is high time the government regulates the norms that require the fast-food restaurants to disclose the content of all the items in the menu to guide the consumer to make a choice. 

The Surgeon General of the United States has issued a report which states that 61 percent of Americans are obese which is higher than the 1990 statistics at 55 percent and the late 1970 statistics at 46 percent. Annually, obesity leads to a medical bill of $117 billion and causes three lakh premature deaths.

The fast-food companies and their associations are solely liable for the increase in obesity, health problems, and early deaths due to the number of exorbitant amounts of sugar, fat and chemical additives used in the food. A detailed analysis will reveal the amount of liability to be bestowed on fast food restaurants, packagers, agribusiness giants, and marketers. Government action and regulation are the only means to regulate food companies that sell unhealthy food. The government is stuck with powerful corporate lobbies.

Therefore, the obsession of the public towards fast food in a nation like America requires litigation to effect a social change. The litigation of fast food companies can be avoided if the government force these companies to disclose the amount of calorie and fat, oust fast food from school, add healthy menu in vending machines and gives more options to exercise. The litigation of fast food companies is not an easy task because the food consumed by a customer does not have a direct effect to cause a heart attack or any such chronic condition.

Moreover, one company cannot be sued because consumers do not stick to a single brand.