What part does ethics play in food marketing Essay

What part does ethics play in food marketing - Essay Example The development and study of one’s ethical standards is also considered as ethics (Velasquez & Et. Al, 2010). It can be said that food is the most important concern for people since it creates an impact upon individual health and well being. The way companies market their food has been in limelight because of the rising obesity rates that is threatening the industrialized countries’ population. Broader health concerns such as diseases because of addictives and preservatives make marketing ethics in food industry a relevant topic. Food ethics is one of the emerging academic disciplines in the recent times and is considered as one among many in the escalating field of applied ethics. The ethical issues are crucial with regards to the food. The ethical concerns encompass a correspondingly broad range of issues, for instance, the disparity between global food supplies and human nutritional needs. The other ethical concerns are results of the modern agricultural along with t he food biotechnologies for human as well as animal welfare (Mepham, 2000). The most important consideration in the food and agricultural products is that ‘production, transformation and distribution’ of such products can be considered as general aspects of daily life around the world. Therefore, these activities may not be addressed in the realm of ethics. However, the economic benefits that are derived by participating in food and agriculture system are considered as a means to an end that are ethical in nature (FAO, 2001). It is evident that the ethical consideration is becoming central in consumer food choices’ unease expressed by consumers regarding the increasing gap between the production processes and consumption. According to the current trend the consumers face three types of ‘ethical concerns’. The first type of the concern is about the substantive issues, for example, animal welfare. The second type of ethical concern covers requirements in relation to reliable information while the third concern covers involvement and participation. The food production system in the recent years possesses certain inherent features. There are different barriers that tend to block ‘ethical conscious consumers’ and ‘producers food choices’. There are four ethical requirements that may be as follows: the need for tax on unhealthy ingredients, the need for labeling and ethical traceability, the need for diversification of the production methods and the need for sufficient prices in case when the price reduction is gained at the expense of ethical values such as increased environmental impairment and compromised animal welfare Along with the significance of all facets of food in the society, there are certain other aspects of food that is beyond the basic nutrition which is becoming increasingly imperative. Therefore, in this regards, it is important to regulate the representation as well as coexistence of these styles of production. When it comes to food industries, the retail outlets need to be more concerned regarding the kind of food products they are delivering to their customers. The consumers are quite concerned regarding few ethically questionable structural traits related to the food chain, for instance, lack of animal welfare, trustworthy information and objectivity on the part of the information sources. It has been evident that the consumers even complain regarding the lack of the involvement with the food chain and rising gap between the food chain and consumers that treats them as strangers and outsiders and excludes them from making any decision regarding the food supply. European consumers tend to focus upon seven ethical issues. These