Is there any honest
business man left on this planet? An interesting question that may
elicit strong reaction from people who feel that the industry works on a
single point agenda, that is to increase their business turn over and
profit margin at "any cost". But is it really true? The answer is both
"yes" and "no". Yes, because the corporate business entities will have
to answer to their stake holders about the economic efficiency of their
working but it may be a resounding no if the means to achieve higher
profitability is critically scrutinized.
Obviously industry does not run
charity and the investments made must earn decent returns which is
understandable. More or less critics, many in number, are not
questioning this right of the industry but want transparent means to
achieve positive results without hurting the consumer or the health of
the society in general. Here is an interesting commentary on the
"unethical" but legal means deployed by the corporate business sector to
influence, cajole and push the consumer to eating more and more foods,
many of which do not satisfy the nutritional and health criteria that
qualify them as good food.
"Bigger, juicier, saltier, sweeter, crunchier. Most of all, more. The food industry and its nonstop marketing
has been tabbed by many experts as a major player in the obesity
epidemic. "The result of constant exposure to today's 'eat more' food
environment," write Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim in their upcoming
book Why Calories Count, "has been to drive people to desire
high-calorie foods and to become 'conditioned over eaters.'" Even
as the food industry takes steps seemingly in the right direction--by
launching campaigns to bring healthy products to schools, for
example--wellness initiatives are often just marketing ploys,
contends David Ludwig, a pediatrician and coauthor of a commentary
published in 2008 in the Journal
of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that raised questions about
whether big food companies can be trusted to help combat obesity.
Ultimately, he has argued, makers of popular junk
foods have an obligation to stockholders to maximize profits, which
means encouraging consumers to eat more--not less--of a company's
products. Health experts including Ludwig and Nestle, a professor of
nutrition at New York University, both of whom have long histories of
tracking the food industry, spoke with U.S. News and highlighted 10
things that junk food makers don't want you to know about their products
and how they promote them. Here's a peek behind the curtain:"
The
controversy regarding the role played by the government in
"disciplining" the industry is becoming increasingly harsh with sizable
citizenry even doubting the bonafides of
the former in protecting the their interests and allegations regarding
the strong lobbying power of industry and its influence on government
policy making are striking resonance with the consumers.
Many examples
are being quoted to "prove" the nexus between government and industry in
modifying the standards of safety to the advantage of the industry.
Critics like Marion Nestle, Malden Nesheim and others have vast audience
when they pull up the industry for valid reasons and their voice cannot
be silenced any more. Either the industry must have strong
self-discipline or it must be forcefully disciplined to protect precious
lives of the citizens who depend heavily on the products turned out by
it.
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