Ethical Issues With Fast Food Companies

As stated in the provided reference, the fast food industry is spending more money than ever on marketing campaigns and making larger portions than ever before. It has been proven by nutritionists and doctors that eating too much is not healthy for the body. This is the very first ethical concern with the fast food industry. These companies are trying to profit off doing harm to individual bodies. The fact of the matter is that if the excess calories that are used in the production of fast foods continue, along with the use of Trans fats, then more and more of the population will run into health complications, eventually leading to death, which will, in effect, decrease the amount of customers these companies cater to. The reality is that about 280,000 Americans die every year due to being overweight (Carson-DeWitt & Frey, 2004). This is an alarming statistic that needs to somehow be addressed.

Another ethical issue is that these fast food companies are taking advantage of consumers that 'living the American dream' and working in this fast paced country. Society is becoming faster and faster, with less time in the day left for personal time. This is largely due to the increasing work week hours in America since the early 1970's. Fast food companies are profiting off this by offering a quick stop for food for the consumers since there is never enough time for these consumers.

I feel that the responsibility falls on both the fast food industry and the consumers. The reality is that each consumer is responsible for his/her own body. They should be responsible enough to take the time to exercise if they are eating unhealthy foods. They should also be aware of how bad fast food is for the body, as this issue has practically become an issue of public knowledge. At the same time, however, fast food companies should make an honest effort to 'trim the fat' off their menus. The Trans fat issue is something that most