why we’re not lovin’ it.
better, fairer, and healthier nutrition can prevent one in five deaths, researchers say.* one in five…tHat is 11 million preventable deaths each year, more than tobacco smoking.
…yet the Large fast-food chains are selling more fatty fries, antibiotic-pumped chicken buckets, and “healthy” sandwiches than ever. …a highly lucrative business. what they don’t tell you is that these things are actually pretty damn bad for your health and well-being (and for the planet’s too). let’s explain to you why…
1 | they are telling us lies.
seen advertising change over the last decades? it is now all about the fresh ingredients, nutritious red tomatoes, and the ‘commitment to honest and healthy food’. since heath foods are trending, the big chains are rebranding as green and nutritious. the funny thing is…whereas the advertising changed, the food is still the same. high fat, sugar, and salt, and low in fiber and vitamins. not to mention the environmental impact of pesticides used for intensive farming and the animal cruelty of factory farms.
„McDonald’s spends over $2 billion every year worldwide on advertising and promotions, trying to cultivate an image of being a ‘caring’ and ‘green’ company that is also a fun place to eat. Children are lured in - dragging their parents behind them - with the promise of toys and other gimmicks. “
2 | they are targetting our kids.
what is worse than greenwashing…these giants are specifically targeting the most vulnerable group…children. research has found that there is much evidence to show that children are highly influenced by advertising. more specifically, they are three times more responsive than adults.
„Using collectible toys, television adverts, promotional schemes in schools and figures such as Ronald McDonald the company bombards their main target group: children.“
a survey of the Food Commission in 1990 found that Tony the Tiger (Frosties) and Ronald McDonald were more popular than the child's father. research has shown that characters like these are really important to children. the problem is that children do not understand advertising’s purpose and have no defence against it. not until children are seven or eight are their cognitive skills significantly developed to begin to understand advertising. for that reason, Rå is calling for a ban on junk food advertising to children.
3 | it is making us addicted.
„a survey of the Food Commission in 1990 found that Tony the Tiger (Frosties) and Ronald McDonald were more popular than the child’s father“
the majority of JUNK FOOD ADS screened during children's television programming, once THESE CHILDREN taste their processed products, it’s hard to stop reaching out for more. the food contains high amounts of sugar and fat, know to be highly addictive. one of the ingredients used is hydrolyzed vegetable proteins (HVPs). These are plant proteins that boost the taste of the target meat. also, think of the variety of diabetes-inducing, sugary shakes and ice creams. they all can be extremely harmful to your health.
4 | it is making us sick.
what do you think are the ingredients of those crispy golden fries? freshly farmed potatoes, right? nope. they use a lot of sodium and hydrogenated fats. consuming such large amounts of sodium causes an accumulation in your body, which can lead to serious health issues. heart disease is just one of them. the process of constantly reheating hydrogenated fats leads to a change in their chemical composition which causes them to become carcinogenic (that means cancer enhancing). yes, they sell food that might give you cancer or heart disease. bon appétit.
the main risk factors were eating too much salt and too few whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds, vegetables....other risk factors considered were consuming high levels of red and processed meat and sugary drinks, low milk consumption and low fibre.
— sarah Boseley | Health editor the guardian
5 | it is destroying our planet.
most, if not all, eggs, meat, and dairy products used to make fast food is produced at factory farms. these factory farms force animals to live under terrible conditions that take away all their basic instincts. large amounts of resources are required to make only a standard cheeseburger. the whole process extends from growing the wheat for buns to fatten the animals before slaughter, resulting in co2 emissions of up to 3.5 kg.
to sum up, today’s fast-food chains we all know are putting our people, animals, and planet under large pain. it’s time for a change.
that's why we are #rethinkingfastfood
we vision humans to be healthy, happy and living on a beautiful planet in good coexistence with animals. we opted for having all our vegetables, beans, toppings TO BE 100% organic and offering only plant-based ingredients. WE ARE FAR FROM PERFECT AND STILL HAVE MUCH TO LEARN. WE WANT to be JUDGED BY THE CONCRETE ACTIONS WE TAKE INSTEAD THE FANCY WORDS WE SAY. WE ARE TWO YOUNG GUYS WHO ARE ASKING YOU, HEJ, let’s rethink fast food together?!
still curious about what concrete steps we take to rethink fast food? wait until our next blog post!
WE ARE FAR FROM PERFECT AND STILL HAVE MUCH TO LEARN. WE WANT to be JUDGED BY THE CONCRETE ACTIONS WE TAKE INSTEAD THE FANCY WORDS WE SAY.
— tristan & till.
*Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017
Dibb, S, (1993) Children: Advertisers' Dream, Nutrition Nightmare, The Case for More Responsibility in Food Advertising, National Food Alliance.
The Food Commission (1990) Sweet Persuasion - a diet of junk food ads, The Food Magazine, Issue 9, Vol. 1.
The Food Commission (1992) A Diet of Junk Food Adverts - Part 2, The Food Magazine, Issue 18, Vol. 2.
