Fast food is something everyone likes. One of the reasons is that it tastes good and the other reason lies in the way it is marketed. Most marketing strategies are psychological tricks that prompt you to buy a particular product irrespective of their usability or effectiveness. Marketing propaganda is a very appealing thing and often comes decorated with a lot of flair and fancies. While some of this is important to spread awareness among the consumers about the new and old products in the market, certain amount of discretion should be exercised when it comes to advertising things that may be harmful. Junk food also falls in this category as unmindful consumption of various junk food items brings about diseases, leads to fixation on certain taste-forming ingredients and formation of life-long habits that can lead to obesity, diabetes, and other life-style disorders.
A Total Lie
The first reason why junk food advertising should be banned is that usually advertisements are a total lie. Instead of showing the actual product they film the food with fake ingredients. Shaving cream may be used instead of whipped cream because it is shinier and longer-lasting. They also digitally enhance the product with tricks. Hence, the buns in the burgers are always soft, the greens look fresh and crunchy and even after lying on the shelf for some time, the burger is simply juicy. This tricks the audience into buying junk food even though what the advertisements present is a huge lie which can endanger someone’s health.
The ill-effects
The second reason is that although fast food is heavily marketed as cheap and easy to get, the advertisers refrain from mentioning the ill-effects associated with this kind of food. Studies say that exposure to unhealthy food advertisements causes an increase in junk food consumption. Many known brands advertise their food as economical stuff that is made with utmost care and concern. Kids between the 7-12 year age bracket are highly vulnerable and when they are exposed to flashy advertisements, it can numb their brains or make them act illogically while making their food choices. This has led to a significant increase in diseases like obesity, diabetes and high BP in young individuals. Thus, fast food advertising must be banned if we want our children to make healthier food choices.
Target- Children
Junk food advertising should also be banned because the fast- food market targets CHILDREN, which is not a good practice in advertising. When brands offer toys, gaming coupons and extra discounts on happy-meals and other kids-stuff, kids rush into the stores as if something crazy just happened. Most of the time such a purchase is only to get the ‘extra something’ and kids do not even finish their food. This is a complete waste of money and can heavily affect the budget of parents. Thus, this kind of advertising that targets the ignorant and vulnerable customers to spend their money without even utilizing the actual product is definitely not praiseworthy, hence it should be banned.
Overall, junk food advertising is causing more harm than benefit. Such advertisements should never be put on big hoardings, they should be discontinued from kids’ channels and they should be avoided near child-centric areas like schools and parks. So, even if fast food cannot be banned, its advertising should be banned completely so that the coming generation of children can be introduced to better eating habits.
Writer : Hari Govind
Grade : 8 (Year 2026)
Place : Sydney, Australia
