fast food responsibility

Fast Food responsibility……

Who should play a part ? Corporate v personal responsibility.

Have you ever wondered who should take the brunt for fast food criticism? We often hear the criticism, but should the fast food companies bear the full brunt? As often the conclusion is one sided attacks on companies. After all were the consumers, we make the final choice over purchase. Fast food companies are just that, companies that exist to make profit.

Ok so consumers are treated quite viciously in this battlefield, but the fast food industry is one massive contest. Towns and cities don’t merely have one or two fast food outlets but tens, sometimes even hundreds of outlets. We all know that fast food is not classed as healthy, but do we need to take on personal responsibility for eating fast food. Doctors and food nutritionists openly suggest “never eating fast food, or at least eating the least as possible”.

Fast food seems to be very secretive over ingredients in their meals and contents. Unlike other food items we purchase in shops, and retailers. It seems the norm to ask no questions in fast food outlets, there’s no easy breakdown, no simple traffic light systems labelling the amount of salt/fat/sugars. People simply base purchasing on three things, the name, picture and price of a meal. Fast food is also targeted on the young, balloons, happy meals, play areas, birthday parties, children’s mascot, children’s seating. Students also get free burgers and milkshakes with purchases. This all seems very generous, and kind at first. But after scratching the surface it seems this is just a tactic to get users whilst young. I remember watching ‘supersize me’ (a documentary in which Morgan Spurlock eats nothing but MacDonald’s for 30 days) when asking the person behind the till “how many people get a size upgrade once asked when ordering” in which the person said “all”. This is not really surprising, but should we criticise this ?  After all like I said, their just a company trying to make money.

People sometimes blame fast food outlets for their weight, openly stating that the fast food company caused the obesity. But is this correct ? I personally don’t buy fast food, im not fussy and will eat anything (including survival food, bugs and grubs) but fast food makes me feel sick. The grease, the secretive contents, the whole experience, to commercial and in your face. But still I wonder if it is right for someone to sue fast food outlets for their obesity. Have we lost all personal responsibly ? I’m afraid I believe companies will make their products as positive as possible, advertise aggressively and hook youngsters. But why should consumers not show responsibility, parents accepting responsibility over where their take their children to eat. After all blaming a company for what their product may or may not have done is rather strange. Without any real evidence or concrete links.  Almost trying to blame car crashes on the car dealer who sold the car. Merely because the person would not of been driving the car, if the dealer hadn’t sold the car ? Strange if you ask me.