Misleading advertising regarding food within United Kingdom

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Topic: Misleading advertising regarding food within United Kingdom
Table of Contents
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Misleading advertising regarding food within United Kingdom  PAGEREF _Toc292448524 \h
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Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc292448525 \h
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Misleading Advertisements  PAGEREF _Toc292448526 \h
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Advertisements for fast foods  PAGEREF _Toc292448527 \h
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Marketing issues within the food industry in the United Kingdom  PAGEREF _Toc292448528 \h
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Marketing Campaigns in the UK  PAGEREF _Toc292448529 \h
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Marketing focus  PAGEREF _Toc292448530 \h
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Reasons why marketers regarding food products end up misleading consumers towards their products’ purchasing  PAGEREF _Toc292448531 \h
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Marketing for numbers  PAGEREF _Toc292448532 \h
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Examples regarding instances whereby marketers regarding food products end up misleading consumers towards their products’ purchasing  PAGEREF _Toc292448533 \h
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Cosselett’s case  PAGEREF _Toc292448534 \h
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Marketing tactics applied  PAGEREF _Toc292448535 \h
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Advertisement regulation  PAGEREF _Toc292448536 \h
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Variances in product information  PAGEREF _Toc292448537 \h
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Marketing theories which may be utilised for the purpose of explaining the various aspects regarding misleading advertising occurrence regarding food within United Kingdom  PAGEREF _Toc292448538 \h
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Consumer behaviour as a marketing theory  PAGEREF _Toc292448539 \h
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Marketing myopia as a marketing theory  PAGEREF _Toc292448540 \h
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Marketing theory of interaction other than exchange  PAGEREF _Toc292448541 \h
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Health impacts as a result of misleading advertisements  PAGEREF _Toc292448542 \h
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Effects associated with misleading advertisements regarding food within the United Kingdom  PAGEREF _Toc292448543 \h
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Solutions towards misleading advertising regarding food within United Kingdom  PAGEREF _Toc292448544 \h
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ASA and FSA regulations on food advertisements  PAGEREF _Toc292448545 \h
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Conclusion  PAGEREF _Toc292448546 \h
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Bibliography  PAGEREF _Toc292448547 \h
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Misleading advertising regarding food within United Kingdom
Introduction
Food is among the various products which are highly essential to individuals’ lives and which determine the health status held by individuals (Gunter, 2005, p.7). This is the reason why individuals are often advised to take food types which have the capacity to meet all nutrition requirements. Suitable nutrition has the capacity to ensure that proper growth as well as ability to effectively protect individuals from contracting various disease types are realised (Marshall, 2007, p.164). It is for this reason that advertisements regarding food types and aspects through which these food types have the capacity to influence individuals lives have turned out to be very influential to individuals. Individuals often believe in the various advertisements regarding food with the desire to attain the expressed qualities (OFCOM, 2008, p.7). For example, food types which are expressed through advertisements as being able to prop up energy realisation or contributing to active participation towards various activities by individuals have often attracted individuals towards their utilisation.
Misleading Advertisements
Food manufacturing firms have realised this great influence regarding food advertisement and have ended up incorporating certain qualities upon the packages or through the various advertising methods which express the food being very helpful to individuals (Mayo, 2005, p.31). This often applies to foods which are perceived as junk, as the companies attempt to utilize all the possible ways for the purpose of attracting enormous individual numbers towards their products consumption. This some times ends up as being misleading especially among firms whose main aim is sales’ increase and not individual welfare improvement (Goldberg & Gorn, 2000, p.25). It has been found out that within United Kingdom, most advertisements regarding food have been highly misleading. This is due to that fact that according to the exhibited advertisements, foods which are expressed as having positive impacts towards individuals as well as positively influencing their daily lives in terms of the output they produce have been found to lack such qualities or else substantial evidence has not been obtained capable of supporting the fact that such qualities may be obtained from the foods (Dibb, 2004, p.51). This turns out to be problematic because individuals end up consuming certain foods hoping to obtain certain benefits and end up lacking such benefits.
Advertisements for fast foods
Advertisements regarding fast foods are perceived as fast foods’ ventures and products’ promotion through the available media varieties (Evans, 2009, p.90). Advertisements regarding fast foods are not regulated highly like other products like alcohol but individuals often express the desire for the reduction of such advertisements. Deceptive or false advertising has been perceived as utilisation of misleading or false statements within the course of advertising (Bethel, 2003, p.11). Owing to the fact that advertisers hold the potential to influence individuals towards commercial transactions which otherwise would have been avoided, the United Kingdom government has the capacity to utilise regulations capable of controlling misleading, deceptive and false advertisements.
Among the main areas concerning fast food regulation facing the various companies is junk food advertisement towards children (Gabriel, 2006, p.31). Within the United Kingdom, the bill regarding children’s foods is aimed at intensely regulating junk food advertisements towards children, a practice which is being imitated by other nations which seek strict limitations introduction towards advertisements concerning junk foods (Selnow, 2003, p.26). All these undertakings are aimed at propping up suitable or desirable foods’ intake which is capable of steering the children towards healthy bodies’ attainment (Longfield, 1999, p.35). The various aspects involved in this case include restriction of various advertisements concerning junk foods at certain times when children may have access to them. This aims at ensuring that the influence towards children is highly minimised hence intensive consumption is minimised. Through this parents have the capacity to utilise their knowledge to offer foods which have the capacity to positively influence their children’s health situations (Darwin, 2009, p.25). Stricter print, radio and television regulations which have faced companies which deal with fast foods’ provision have steered them towards internet advertising utilisation with the aim of passing on various information bits to their customers (Barrow, 2000, p.14). Accuracy regarding the various images concerning food utilized by companies which handle fast foods has often been questioned (Smart, 2004, p.51). This is due the fact that actual products are in most cases expressed as having poorer quality compared to the qualities represented within the expressed images.
Marketing issues within the food industry in the United Kingdom
The marketing issues which face food industry within United Kingdom may be expressed in various ways. Marketing issues in this case may be expressed as the various aspects which face firms which deal with food production as they attempt to seek suitable markets or else market the various products which they produce (Overby, 2001, p.51).
The popularity and success regarding junk foods marketing within United Kingdom has pushed enormous suppliers’ numbers regarding such products as well as other food products to set up businesses within retail business with the aim of taking advantage regarding existing consumer demand (Morrison, 2001, p.15). To firms dealing with food production, this has been a lucrative way through which they expand the businesses they operate. Owing to the fact that all firms have the need to experience the desirable outcomes possible, competition has come up and therefore the firms have resulted to various advertisement forms (Cartwright, 1999, p.7). It is apparent that advertisements are very essential when it comes to marketing for it allows individuals to obtain substantial knowledge regarding various products as well as the various ways through which they are utilised (watts, 2003, p.21). This is not usually enough because individuals have developed the need to understand the various components or else ingredients which have the capacity to influence their health. Due to this, firms have also incorporated such details within their advertisements for the purpose of creating pictures regarding their products usefulness to individuals (Mackey, 2005, p.7).
All the manufacturers therefore seek realization of the most desirable outcomes by expressing ways through which their products have the capacity to positively influence the lives of individuals. This has highly contributed to the development of the various advertisements which have been found to mislead individuals on the various choices they make (Buse, 2005, p.27). For example, although some junk foods have often been identified as being unsuitable for utilisation by children, it is apparent that the firms which produce them express them as very suitable to children. For instance, through their advertisements they may indicate children making use of certain junk foods after which they are expressed as being very sharp in school (Meyrowitz, 2005, p.10). This may not be proved that the contents regarding the foods directly contribute to the perceived outcomes and therefore some advertisements have been declared misleading (Varey, 2001, p.37). Findings put to light that most advertisements are not made for the purpose of assisting consumers to choose the best but for the purpose of promoting firm products’ sales hence they end up being misleading.
Individuals within the contemporary world have turned out to be knowledgeable regarding the various food products and therefore firms have to be very careful regarding the information types they release to individuals through advertisements regarding the food types they produce (Gunte, 2005, p.8). For successful outcomes to be realised, they ought to offer truthful information bits due to the fact that incases whereby individuals notice the misleading information bits, they may end up losing trust regarding the firm hence avoid its products’ utilisation. However, forms in most cases have exaggerated the components regarding their food products as well as the associated benefits (Moore, 2008, p.39). This in most cases may not be realized by individuals unless they are highly informed regarding the various food components.
Marketing Campaigns in the UK
Firms regarding food production within United Kingdom have often realised the need to develop competitive advantage which has been recognized as very essential (Marshal, 2007, p.165). To achieve this, they have developed substantial ways of understanding the needs expressed by customers as well as the experienced market trends. They also attempt seeking suitable ways through which their they may bring about suitable differentiation regarding their products from other firm’s products as well as ensuring that outrageous claims which may not be substantiated are avoided (OFCOM, 2008, p.8). This aims at ensuring that suitable trust is highly established among individuals. This helps the organisations towards their objectives’ realisation which include desirable sales’ levels realisation.
It is apparent that consumers highly expect the firms involved in the production of the various firms to substantially produce considerable information regarding the various products (Mayo, 2005, p.32). This enables involved consumers to highly obtain required information sources which help them as they attempt to involve themselves in aspects regarding choice making. It is apparent that the indicated information regarding the products plays a very essential role in influencing individuals towards suitable decisions regarding the products they ought to utilise (Goldberg & Gorn, 2000, p.26). The issue which faces firms in this case as they attempt to market their products is how best to present the information and the suitable choice regarding which information types to be presented. It is evident that firms which have the capacity to effectively chose the most suitable information which individuals need to know regarding their products have the highest capacity to attract the highest individuals’ numbers (Dibb, 2004, p.52). This is due to the fact that individuals involve themselves in aspects regarding food purchasing depending on specific aims and the choices they end up making is usually highly governed by the intended aims.
In addition, it is apparent that packaging choices have turned to be demanding issues within food marketing among the various firms within United Kingdom (Evans, 2009, p.91). This is due to the fact that packages which are user-friendly or eye-catching tend to attract most individuals hence the utilised packages highly influence extended demand by individuals towards the products (Bethel, 2003, p.12). Individuals are often attracted to foods which are well packed in desirable packages and therefore firms which have managed to offer food stuffs in desirable packages have managed to obtain large customer numbers so long as the experienced prices are affordable.

Marketing focus
Primary marketing focus has been found to be an essential aspect regarding marketing issues when it comes to food marketing within United Kingdom (Gabriel, 2006, p.32). A business enterprises’ preliminary tactical marketing issue comprises of potential founders but not necessarily customers. It is apparent that companies may not be able to effectively succeed in cases whereby there was no support (Longfield, 1999, p.36). This has an implication that firms involved in food production, have to seek suitable ways of gaining substantial support for the purpose of ensuring that their success levels are promoted. The difficulty here lies on the point of seeking suitable methods through which firms obtain the required support.
Moreover, there is marketing of a company against its products’ promotion (Darwin, 2009, p.76). Sources indicate that young companies which are unknown have to seek ways of enabling individuals accept it within market prior to be being able to effectively undertaking the various aspects aimed at marketing its products to customers who are often targeted as end-users.
Further more, marketing requires firms to obtain suitable strategies through which the firms may end up realising their desired objectives (Smart, 2004, p.53). Once young companies are positioned, in cases whereby their programs regarding marketing are not particularly designed for the purpose of steering current objectives’ realisation, it is apparent that their efforts regarding marketing ought to be re-evaluated (Overby, 2001, p.28). Firms are only able to develop future possibilities through current results utilisation.
Sources have brought to our attention that exit strategy which has highly been experienced within various market areas has been an essential market issue within food marketing firms especially within United Kingdom (Morris, 2001, p.16). In cases whereby the involved companies manage to gain value as well as succeed, individuals end up gaining confidence regarding them and hence this props up company sales through increase in the popularity among individuals. For the various companies handling food marketing within United Kingdom to realise this, they have to start by addressing the aspect so as to highly promote marketing improvement regarding the produced food types (Cartwright, 1999, p.8). The firms ought to ensure that they are well known before they expect any positive outcomes regarding their product’s marketing through the various marketing promotion aspects which are usually applied by the various firms.
Reasons why marketers regarding food products end up misleading consumers towards their products’ purchasing
There are various reasons as to why marketers regarding food products end up misleading consumers towards their products’ purchasing. Sources put to light that all firms seek desirable outcomes realisation regarding the sales they extend towards their customers (Watts, 2003, p.23). It is therefore apparent that as this occurs, firms end up experiencing stiff competition as each of them seeks the most suitable ways of ensuring that the most desirable sales’ levels are obtained. Owing to the fact that all firms are usually out to seek the most appropriate methods for successful operations realisation, it is apparent that they highly utilise methods capable of bringing about awareness creation among consumers regarding the various food types which they produce (Mackey, 2005, p.9). They also pass on suitable information regarding the various ways through which the food types have the capacity to bring about desirable outcomes among individuals who utilise them. Most firms within United Kingdom have therefore been seeking the most appropriate ways which have the capacity to bring about desirable outcomes (Buse, 2005, p.29). However, firms which have managed to substantially convince the individuals who utilise their products that they have the capacity to obtain the most desirable outcomes from such products have managed to obtain the highest sales regarding their products.
Some firms have however ended up exaggerating the various benefits which individuals may obtain from the food types which whey produce (Varey, 2002, p.29). In this case, they involve themselves in advertisements which indicate how individuals have the capacity to extensively benefit from the various food types especially children. For example, they may express outcomes like being sharp when it comes to class work, energy and also desirable health realisation (Gunter, 2005, p.9). These are the advertisement types which make it possible for individuals to be attracted to the various foods as they strive to obtain the associated benefits.
Marketing for numbers
As firms attempt to obtain the highest individuals numbers capable of consuming their food types, some have ended up including exaggerated information regarding the benefits, which is not aimed at consumer welfare improvement but sales augmentation (Marshal, 2007, p.166). This is what has been perceived by individuals as misleading of consumers with the aim of obtaining the highest benefits possible. Research has brought to out attention that the most important reason why firms mislead customers through advertisements is the aim to obtain highest benefits possible through the utilisation of methods which are not genuine and also which may bring about harmful outcomes to consumers as they attempt to realise the outcomes which are pointed out through the advertisements (OFCOM, 2008, p.9). An example in this case is whereby firms express utilisation of certain junk foods as having the capacity to enable students be sharp in school hence obtain desirable outcomes. Most individuals usually have the desire to benefit intensely from the commodities they consume and therefore they may end up blindly following such advertisements without necessarily utilizing their knowledge to realize that such benefits have not been proved in any way (Mayo, 2005, p.35). They may therefore intensely feed their children with such junk foods with the aim of obtaining desirable outcomes only to obtain negative outcomes like obesity in their children.
Examples regarding instances whereby marketers regarding food products end up misleading consumers towards their products’ purchasing
The various instances wherein marketers regarding food products end up misleading consumers towards their products’ purchasing may be expressed as follows. For instance, Cadbury ended up admitting at last that individuals who consume the various products are usually deceived by certain firms which label the various junk foods as having certain qualities which have the capacity to bring about substantial variations among individuals (Goldberg & Gorn, 2000, p.29). Such foods have not been able to bring about the associated benefits but have contrary brought about negative outcomes some of which are obesity increase among individuals. Andrew Cosselett who was the managing director within soft drinks and confectionery giant put forward that labelling which was misleadingly done upon foods made individuals consider that they were involved in consumption of food which was healthy, while in the real sense the involved food was not capable of propping up healthy bodies’ realisation (Dibb, 2004, p.56). He put forward that it was wrong for firms to utilise misleading labels and suggested that food industries should have taken the initiative to bring about substantial modifications regarding the various ways through which they advertised for the various commodities.
Cosselett’s case
An example which was put forward by Cosselett was the yoghurt pot which had been expressed as having low fat making him perceive it as healthy snack (Evans, 2009, p.59). However, he ended up discovering that in the actual sense the yoghurt had enormous calories which had the capacity to offer very high fat amounts to individuals. This was misleading and any one perceiving it as healthy would end up realising negative outcomes (Bethel, 2003, p.15). For example, obese individuals who sought suitable foods with the aim of trimming down the negative outcomes associated with obesity would end up realising devastating outcomes from utilisation of such products. This was very unpleasant due to the fact that it would influence individuals towards poor choices hoping they would obtain desirable outcomes from the various food types they would consume (Gabriel, 2006, p.34). This called for the need for suitable bodies to be established which would have the capacity to investigate the truths regarding the junk food contents and benefits as indicated by the various firms. This would ensure that individuals who make use of the various food types are well protected from advertisements which are mislea...