The Unethical Practices of Food

Advertisements Targeted at Children:

A Parental Viewpoint
Garima Malik*

The Indian food market for children has witnessed a tremendous growth in recent years,
and is expected to carry on the momentum in future. Fast food advertising has become a
major concern in food product advertising. Advertising to children, in particular, has
become a hot topic as it has been observed that there is a lack of advertisers’ responsibility.
This study helps to understand the parental viewpoint towards the unethical practices
carried on by the food product advertisers, so that corrective action can be taken by the
regulatory bodies. The study also attempts to find out parents’ preferences of food items
for their children. A quantitative survey, which sheds more light on this research was
conducted in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Jaipur, using a well structured
questionnaire. The data collected was then analyzed by chi-square test and cluster analysis.
The findings highlight the increasing risk associated with too many food advertisements
that rely on tricks and gimmicks to attract children. Finally, the paper provides a set of
recommendations for the Indian parents and government regulatory bodies.

Introduction
Ethics in marketing deals with the principles and values that the marketing institutions
ought to have. Discussions of marketing ethics are focused on two major concerns: one
is the concern related to political philosophy, and the other is regarding the transaction-
focused business practice. On the one side, it has been said that maximizing profit for
the shareholder is the only ethic in marketing, while on the other, it is argued that
market is responsible to the consumers and other proximate as well as remote stakeholders
as much as, if not less, it is responsible to its shareholders. The question of ethics becomes
more important when the market targets the most impressionable section of the society,
children. The food product companies are now spending a great amount on advertising
to reach/attract this segment.

Good nutritional diet during childhood and adolescence is essential for physical
and mental growth. At the same time, eating behavior is also established which contributes
to long-term health and chronic disease risk. But the Indian food consumption trend
data shows a shift over the last one decade. Children and adolescents eat out more

* Assistant Professor, Amity Business School, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India.
E-mail: garima261@rediffmail.com

46
© 2012 IUP. All Rights Reserved. The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012
frequently (junk/fast food, soft drinks, and snacks). Very few studies have been conducted
and documented in India regarding the dietary intake pattern of the Indian children
and adolescents.

Studies have shown that an overweight or obese child is far more susceptible to
health issues later in life. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.3
billion people, i.e., almost one-third of the global population will be overweight by
2015. It is estimated that one in ten school-age children are clinically overweight or
obese, which is a total of 155 million around the world. A further 22 million children
under the age of five are overweight. While every continent has to face up to the health
consequences and economic repercussions of this preventable catastrophe, Asia is
arguably facing the greatest challenge. Overweight and obesity rates are rising faster in
South-East Asia than anywhere else in the world. With a predicted 27.5% rise in obese
children in the region between 2005 and 2010, every contributing factor needs to be
urgently addressed.

Many factors contribute to the risk of developing obesity. One that has been identified
is the way in which unhealthy food or products that are energy-dense and nutrient-
poor are marketed to children. In 2006, the WHO’s technical meeting on marketing of
food and non-alcoholic beverages to children concluded that the exposure to the
promotion of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages can adversely affect
children’s eating habits. They also found that overwhelming marketing is responsible
for the increasing use of energy-dense, micronutrient-poor foods, and undermines the
recommendation for a healthy diet. It has an adverse effect on children’s understanding
of food knowledge, purchase behavior and consumption. Multinational companies have
been able to exploit the lack of control and regulation on marketing and advertising in
developing countries, and have been using tricks and gimmicks to promote food which
is high in fat, sugar and preservatives.

The Indian fast food market is growing at an annual rate of 25-30%, according to a
report published by market research firm, RNCOS in September 2010, titled,“Indian
Fast Food Market Analysis”. Foreign fast food chains are aggressively increasing their
presence in the country. For instance, Domino’s has planned to open 60-65 outlets
every year in these three years (2010-2012), while the other brands are also preparing
for a massive expansion across the country by 2015.

Although it is the personal responsibility of consumers to maintain a healthy and

active lifestyle, government regulatory bodies, NGOs and the consumer forums also
have a significant role to play in this regard. Strict rules and regulations for the marketing
of the same and prompt action now can prevent a major catastrophe in the future—for
individuals and society as a whole.

Literature Review
The children’s market has become significantly important to marketers (McNeal, 1998).
Many marketers spend millions of dollars on advertising to reach this growing segment

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 47

A Parental Viewpoint
(Jardine and Wentz, 2005). A look at India’s own advertising growth shows that the
whole advertising expenditure boomed eight times since 1995, when it was around 47
billion, to around 367 billion rupees (Dingra, 2008).

The effects of advertising on children have been highly debated among various groups,
including parents, NGOs, industry experts and government agencies. One of the primary
debates has been the potential impact of food advertising directed at children. A variety
of institutions are involved in this debate. Some of these organizations, such as public
advocacy groups, criticize the food companies and television networks regarding the
increased amount spent as well as the type of promotional efforts targeted at children
(York, 2007).

There is also a debate among practitioners on advertising practices directed at children,

with even marketing professionals expressing concerns about advertising targeted at
children. When interviewed, 35% of them considered the general ethical and moral
standards in the industry to be ‘lower than in the past,’ with 40% believing that these
standards are about the same. Only 25% believed that the standards have improved
(Grimm, 2004).

Some companies have already started taking action to deal with criticisms and also
because of government warnings. In Europe, soft-drink companies have developed
self-regulatory measures to stop advertising junk food and help in tackling child obesity.
To avoid stricter laws, soft-drink companies have pledged to stop the marketing aimed
at children under 12 years of age. The companies also have pledged to limit soft-drink
sales at schools (Wentz, 2006). Furthermore, some companies have also responded to
government calls by promoting active lifestyles when targeting children in food
advertisements. McDonald’s, in the UK, ran a campaign that featured Ronald McDonald
and used animated fruit and vegetable characters which were called Yums. These
characters urged children to eat right and stay active (Jardine and Wentz, 2005).

Obesity among children has become an increasing problem throughout the US as

well across the world. Approximately, 16% of teenagers aged 12-19 years and 15% of
children aged 5-11 years are currently obese in the US. There has been a 300% increase
in the number of obese and overweight children in the past 30 years. Within the next
decade, these numbers are predicted to almost double (Reed, 2008).

A research done by the Institute of Medicine says that food and drink advertising
puts kids at the risk of health problems. Moreover, low-calorie meals and a healthy way
of eating need to be introduced into the children’s diet instead of Wendy’s, McDonald’s,
or other fast food companies’ products. The job of an advertiser is to make consumers
want things that they might have not wanted in the beginning. Eventually, their wants
become their desires. Now, why children? Children are the ideal candidates for advertisers
to target, because starting young creates brand loyalty.

The findings of the study by Gorn and Goldberg (1977) include the fact that low-
income children exposed to a commercial just once had favorable attitudes towards the

48 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012

advertised product. Furthermore, these authors found that exposure to television ads
among five and six-year-old children directly influenced their breakfast food and snack
preferences (Goldberg et al., 1978). Finally, exposure to advertisements has also influenced
the frequency of snacking among children (Bolton, 1983).

Advertising has been criticized for promoting materialism, persuading individuals to

buy things they do not need and providing false or misleading information (Pollay and
Mittal, 1993). Parents’ concerns toward the impact of advertising directed at children
have risen significantly in the last decade (Hudson et al., 2008). These concerns have
also been expressed by academicians (Moore, 2004). However, only a limited number of
studies have examined ethical issues aimed at the children’s segment (Ahuja et al.,
2001; and Hudson et al., 2008).

Advertising to the young as a whole is a very heated, debatable issue; many advertisers
defend their right of ‘commercial free speech’. Others argue that children’s understanding
of advertisements is part of their development and growth, and it is unrealistic to make
them live in ideal innocence when it is not the case in the real world, and that such
isolation will eventually affect the child’s wellbeing (O’Sullivan, 2005).

As noted, research examining parents’ attitudes toward advertising, particularly

to food advertising directed at children, is limited. Past studies examined the
relationship between family communication patterns and parental reactions toward
advertising (Rose et al., 1998), and parental involvement and authoritative parenting
and attitude toward advertising (Carlson and Grossbart, 1988). Only one study
examined the relationship between attitude toward food advertising and parental
styles (Crosby and Grossbart, 1984). Promoting junk food is not only an ethically
debatable issue, but many girls are also deeply affected by the thin figures of celebrities
in the advertisements. It causes low self-esteem and dissatisfaction among them
(Hobbs, 2006).

Parents’ attitude towards nutrition varies. Research shows the positive impact of
parental influence and nutritional education (Grossbart et al., 1982). Furthermore,
mothers particularly wield a significant influence over children’s consumption of a
balanced diet and exposure to a variety of foods (Crosby et al., 1982). This research
has also shown that mothers who endorsed nutritional information had more positive
attitudes toward nutrition and expressed more concerns about food advertising
targeted at children. Now, the Government of India has also taken several steps to
deal with children’s nutritional problems by being involved in school lunch programs,
regulation of children’s advertising and nutrition education in schools.

Ethical decision-making process must be influenced by the perception that the

potential action has a moral or ethical facet that needs to be evaluated (Barnett,
2001). For marketing practitioners, studies have shown that perceived moral intensity
affects the perception of ethical problems in various situations (Singhapakdi et al.,
1996 and 1999).

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 49

A Parental Viewpoint
Research Objectives
• To analyze the parents’ perception about advertisements for various food items
directed towards their children.

• To find out the relationship between parents’ demographic data and their
perception towards food advertisements, if any.

• To analyze the various segments of parents based on their perception about

the food advertisements.

Research Methodology
The research methodology for the present study is based on descriptive research design,
and stratified non-probability sampling method has been used. For this purpose,
a questionnaire (refer Appendix) was designed from the review of previous studies, and
was pre-tested with a pilot survey conducted among 10 respondents. It helped in
controlling the response bias and increased the reliability of the final questionnaire.
Responses of 100 respondents from the NCR and Jaipur were collected during January-
February 2011. Firstly, the respondents were made aware about the purpose of the
study, and then were requested to give their unbiased responses. The demographic
characteristics of the respondents are given in Table 1.

Table 1: Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents

Variable Frequency Percentage (%)
Age (Years)
< 25 15 7.5
25-30 55 27.5
30-35 54 27.0
> 35 76 38.0
Gender
Male 69 34.5
Female 131 65.5
Education
High School 37 18.5
Graduate 63 31.5
Postgraduate 100 50.0
Household Income ( )
1-3 Lakh 27 13.5
3-5 Lakh 86 43.0
5-8 Lakh 28 14.0
8 Lakh and Above 59 29.5

50 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012

Analysis
The respondents were given a questionnaire pertaining to different ethical issues related
to the advertisement which targeted children. In order to check the relationship between
the respondents’ demographic attributes and the choice of food items, the following
analysis was carried out.

Household Income Versus Key Factors

Table 2 highlights the relationship between the household income level of the respondents
and the key factors which they consider while purchasing food for their children.

Table 2: Household Income Versus Key Factors

Household Key Factor for Choosing Food for Children
Income ( ) Total
(per annum) Brand Price Taste Nutrition
1-3 Lakh 7 5 6 9 27
3-5 Lakh 19 8 24 35 86
5-8 Lakh 9 3 8 8 28
8 and Above 21 8 16 14 59
Total (%) 56 (28) 24 (12) 54 (27) 66 (33) 200
Note: Values in parentheses show percentage.

Hypothesis Testing
H0a: There is no significant relationship between the key factors of importance for purchasing
food items for children and the household income.

H1a: There is a significant relationship between the key factors of importance for purchasing
food items for children and the household income.

Inference: Table 3 reveals that the calculated χ2 value is less than the tabulated value
(i.e., 16.919 for 9 degrees of freedom at 5% level of significance). Therefore, we accept
the null hypothesis ‘there is no significant relationship between the key factors and the
household income of the respondents’.

Table 3: Chi-Square Test on Household Income Versus Key Factors

χ2 (Critical) 16.919 (at 0.05 Level of Significance)
χ (Calculated)
2
7.664

It is also very clear from Table 2 that parents have given most importance (33%)
to nutrition as a key factor and almost equal importance to both brand and taste
(28 and 27% respectively). Only 12% have chosen price as a key factor for purchasing
food items for children. Therefore, this indirectly indicates that parents are not
unduly influenced by advertising when it comes to choice of food products for their
children.

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 51

A Parental Viewpoint
Respondents’ Gender Versus Their Perception About Too Much
Food Advertisements
Respondents (parents) were asked whether there is too much food advertising directed
at children. They had the options to rate it ranging from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly
disagree’. Table 4 highlights the responses collected in the form of frequency and percentage.

Table 4: Respondents’ Gender Versus Perception

of Much Food Advertising for Children
Too Much Food Advertising Directed at Children
Respondents’ Total
Gender Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Agree F(P) F(P) F(P) F(P) Disagree F(P)

Male 22 (31.9) 37 (53.6) 8 (11.6) 2 (2.9) 0 (0) 69

Female 55 (42.0) 52 (39.7) 21 (16.0) 2 (1.5) 1 (0.8) 131
Total 77 89 29 4 1 200
Note: F = Frequency; and P = Percentage.

Table 4 shows that none of the male respondents strongly disagreed about it and
only 11.6 showed a neutral response. Rest of all males either agreed or strongly agreed
that too much food advertising is directed towards children. A similar pattern of perception
was also observed for females. About 82% of them responded positively.

Hypothesis Testing
H0b: There is no significant relationship between the gender of the respondent and the
perception that too much advertising is directed towards children.

H1b: There is a significant relationship between the gender of the respondent and the
perception that too much advertising is directed towards children.

Inference: In the above case, the calculated 2 value is less than the tabulated value
(i.e., 7.815 for 3 degrees of freedom at 5% level of significance). Therefore, we accept
the null hypothesis. Hence, it can be concluded that there is no association between the
gender of the respondents and their perception. In other words, it can be said that both
male and female parents are infuriated with too much food advertising directed towards
children (Table 5).

Table 5: Chi-Square Test on Respondents’ Gender Versus Perception

2
(Critical) = 7.815 (at 0.05 Level of Significance)
2
(Calculated) = 3.828

Preference of Food Items

This question was aimed towards the parents’ preference of food item for their children
out of the options (cereals, nutritional drinks, aerated drinks, fast food and

52 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012

confectionaries like chocolates) given to them. The responses are given in Table 6 in
the form of ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

Table 6: Food Items Preference

Food Items Yes (%) No (%)

Cereals 165 (82.5) 35 (17.5)

Nutrition Drinks 140 (70.0) 60 (30.0)

Confectionaries 105 (52.5) 95 (47.5)

Aerated Drinks 71 (35.5) 129 (64.5)

Fast Foods 58 (29.0) 142 (71.0)

Note: Values in parentheses show percentage.

Interpretation: Table 6 reveals that cereals as a meal for children has the highest response
(82.5%). So, it is obvious that the market for cereals is very bright. Nutritional drinks
are the second preference (70%).

Cluster Analysis
Identifying groups of individuals or objects that are similar to each other but different
from individuals in other groups can be
intellectually satisfying, profitable, or Table 7: Number of Cases
sometimes both. Cluster analysis has in Each Cluster
been conducted in order to analyze the
various clusters of parents that exist in 1 31
our data and how they differ, or are
Cluster 2 130
similar to each other in their perception
of advertisements of food items directed 3 39
towards children.
Valid 200
From Table 7, three clusters have
been formed with 31 respondents in Missing 0
Cluster 1, 130 in Cluster 2 and the
rest in Cluster 3.

Interpretation: Tables 8 and 9 depict that except two items, “advertisement have an
influence on me while making a purchase” and “the choice of the food item is strongly
influenced by the choice of my children”, all other items have been significant at the
0.05 level in the formation of clusters.

Cluster 1
The first cluster has a total of 31 respondents in favor of the advertising practices of the
food advertisers for food advertisements directed towards children.

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 53

A Parental Viewpoint
 Table 8: ANOVA Table

Cluster Error
Statements Mean Mean F Sig.
df df
Square Square

Advertisements have an influence on me

while making a purchase. 0.452 2 1.365 197 0.331 0.718

The existence of potential harm to

others is always wrong, irrespective of
the benefits gained. 4.316 2 0.724 197 5.964 0.003

It is never necessary to sacrifice the

welfare of others. 2.542 2 0.731 197 3.479 0.033

There is too much food advertising

directed at children. 3.514 2 0.567 197 6.195 0.002

The choice of food item is strongly

influenced by the choice of my children. 0.253 2 0.992 197 0.255 0.775

Advertising to children makes false claims

about nutrition content of food products. 27.888 2 0.765 197 36.437 0

Advertising teaches children bad eating

habits. 11.066 2 0.951 197 11.635 0

Advertisers use tricks and gimmicks to

get children to buy their products. 8.882 2 0.980 197 9.060 0

Advertisers follow ethical practices in

advertisements directed towards children. 30.584 2 0.878 197 34.817 0

The endorser has an effect on my

purchase decision. 25.710 2 0.917 197 28.048 0

The use of celebrities is unethical for

food items directed towards children. 31.339 2 0.992 197 31.576 0

I usually pay attention to nutrition info.

when I see it in an ad or elsewhere. 60.392 2 0.454 197 133.024 0

I read about nutrition in magazines or

books. 111.235 2 0.614 197 141.057 0

• Agree that advertisers follow ethical practices in advertisements directed

towards children.

• Neutral that endorser has an effect on purchase decision.

• Disagree that use of celebrities is unethical.

• Neutral to paying attention to nutritional information while purchasing.

54 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012

 Table 9: Final Cluster Centers
Cluster
1 2 3
Advertisements have an influence on me while making a purchase. 2 2 2
The existence of potential harm to others is always wrong,
irrespective of the benefits gained. 2 3 2
It is never necessary to sacrifice the welfare of others. 2 2 2
There is too much food advertising directed at children. 2 1 2
The choice of food item is strongly influenced by the choice
of my children. 2 2 2
Advertising to children makes false claims about nutrition content
of food products. 3 1 2
Advertising teaches children bad eating habits. 3 1 3
Advertisers use tricks and gimmicks to get children to buy their
products. 2 1 2
Advertisers follow ethical practices in advertisements directed
towards children. 2 5 3
The endorser has an effect on my purchase decision. 3 5 3
The use of celebrities is unethical for food items directed towards
children. 4 1 3
I usually pay attention to nutrition information when I see it in
an advertisement or elsewhere. 3 1 2
I read about nutrition in magazines or books. 4 4 2
Note: 1 = Strongly agree, 2 = Agree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Disagree, and 5 = Highly disagree. The
italicized items have not been used for interpretation of the clusters (as a result of findings
of Table 8).

Cluster 2
The second cluster has a large number of respondents with a total of 130. They are
unhappy with the state of food advertising and believe that the marketers are following
unethical practices while directing the advertisements. The attributes are:

• Advertisers make false statements about the nutritional content in food.

• Believe that advertisers inculcate bad food habits in children.

• Strongly disagree that advertisers use ethical advertising practices.

• Strongly disagree that the endorser has an effect on their purchase decisions.

• Believe that the use of a celebrity is unethical for food items.

• Strongly agree with the statement that they pay attention to nutritional
information.

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 55

A Parental Viewpoint
Cluster 3
The third has a population of 39 respondents who were mostly neutral in their perception
of these practices. It can be seen from their responses:

• Agree that advertisers make false statements about the nutritional content in
food.

• Neutral to the statement that advertisers teach children bad food habits.

• Neutral to the statement that advertisers follow ethical practices in food

advertising.

• Neutral to the statement that endorser has an effect on their purchase decision.

• Neutral to the use of a celebrity in food advertisement.

Thus, this cluster is majorly neutral to the practices of food advertisers. But at the
same time, they are also nutrition-conscious. A mixture of a rational and creative appeal
would be fit for this cluster.

Conclusion
Consumerism is the buzz word these days. It has not only captivated and enticed the
world, but has also made profit as the most important thing for businesses around the
world. In such a situation where companies are increasing their efforts to increase
consumerism, the need for ethics becomes even more important. Food advertising
represents a significant portion of advertising spending by marketers, while food
advertising targeted at children has received significant criticism from parents. It is
extremely necessary to follow ethical practices and also to safeguard the interests of all
the sections of the society.

This study tried to understand the parents’ perception of the current food advertising
practices directed towards children. The study revealed that there is no relationship
between the household income and the key factors for selection of food items for them.
At the same time, parents have given most importance to nutrition as a key factor.
Brand and taste ranked second. Price factor got the lowest preference in purchasing
food items for their children. The study also found that both male and female parents
are not in favor of too much food advertising reaching them from all possible forms of
media. Furthermore, research also revealed that cereals and nutritional drinks are the
most favored food items by parents.

Finally, three clusters of parents were formed based on their perception about the
practices of food advertisers. The first cluster was fine with the practices of food advertisers.
The second (the largest one) cluster had a negative feeling about the practices of food
advertisers. And the third cluster was unaffected by/neutral to the practices of food
advertisers.

56 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012

Recommendations: The study puts forward the following recommendations:

• During the course of research, it was found that a majority of the parents
preferred nutritious food for their children. When they were asked to choose
preferred food items, a majority of them chose cereals and nutritional drinks,
which indicates a healthy shift towards nutrition-consciousness. Also a majority
affirmed that they read about nutritional information. Thus, we can see that
nutrition has become one of the most important criteria while making a purchase
decision in this case. Hence, the advertiser must focus on providing food items
which are high in nutritional content and also stress on the nutritional content
present in the food items in a playful manner in advertisements.

• Fast food companies which have their major focus on children must start
providing healthier meals in India as well. For example, McDonald’s has a
special kids menu in foreign counties which does not include junk food. The
same can be introduced in India as well.

• The findings of the cluster analysis show that there is a cluster of consumers
who feel that the practices of food advertisers are not ethical, and it is the
largest cluster of the sample. Therefore, there is a dire need to satisfy this set of
customers. It can be done by taking public welfare initiatives such as promoting
the interests of disadvantaged children. ✪

References
1. Ahuja R D, Walker M and Tadepalli R (2001), “Paternalism, Limited Paternalism,
and the Pontius Plate Plight When Researching Children”, Journal of Business Ethics,
Vol. 32, pp. 81-92.

2. Barnett T (2001), “Dimensions of Moral Intensity and Ethical Decision Making:

An Empirical Study”, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Vol. 31, pp. 1038-1057.

3. Bolton R N (1983), “Modeling the Impact of Television Food Advertising on

Children’s Diets”, in J H Leigh and C R Martin Jr. (Eds.), Current Issues and Research
in Advertising, pp. 173-199, Ann Arbor, MI.

4. Carlson L and Grossbart S L (1988), “Parental Style and Consumer Socialization

of Children”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 77-94.

5. Crosby L A, Grossbart S L, Robb J L and Carlson L (1982), “Mothers’ Support for

Nutrition Education: A Segmentation Analysis”, in B J Walker, W O Bearden,
W R Darden et al., An Assessment of Marketing Thought and Practice, American
Marketing Association Educators’ Proceedings, pp. 78-89.

6. Crosby L A and Grossbart S L (1984), “Parental Style Segments and Concern

About Children’s Food Advertising”, Current Issues Research in Advertising, Vol. 7,
No. 1, pp. 43-63.

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 57

A Parental Viewpoint
 7. Dingra R (2008), “Online Advertising Expenditure to be 3600 Crores by 2010 in
India!”, Zenith Optimedia Report, June.

8. Goldberg M E, Gorn G J and Gibson W (1978), “TV Messages for Snacks and
Breakfast Foods: Do They Influence Children’s Preferences”, Journal of Consumer
Research, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 73-81.

9. Gorn G J and Goldberg M E (1977), “The Impact of TV Advertising on Children

from Low Income Families”, Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 86-88.

10. Grimm M (2004), “Is Marketing to Kids Ethical”, Brand Week, Vol. 45, No. 14,
pp. 44-48.

11. Grossbart S L, Crosby L and Robb J (1982), “Parental Diffusion Roles and Children’s
Responses to Nutrition Education”, in B J Walker, W O Bearden, W R Darden
et al. (Eds.), An Assessment of Marketing Thought and Practice, American Marketing
Association Educators’ Proceedings, American Marketing Association, Chicago.

12. Hobbs (2006), “How Adolescent Girls Interpret Weight-Loss Advertising”, Health
Education Research, Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 719-730.

13. Hudson S, Hudson D and Peloza J (2008), “Meet the Parents: A Parents’ Perspective
on Product Placement in Children’s Films”, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 80,
No. 2, pp. 209-304.

14. Jardine A and Wentz L (2005), “It’s a Fat World After All”, Advertising Age,
March Issue.

15. McNeal J U (1998), “Tapping the Three Kids’ Markets”, American Demographics,
Vol. 20, pp. 36-41.

16. Moore E (2004), “Children and the Changing World of Advertising”, Journal of
Business Ethics, Vol. 52, No. 2, pp. 161-167.

17. O’Sullivan T (2005), “Advertising and Children: What Do the Kids Think?”,
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, Vol. 8, No. 4, pp. 371-384.

18. Pollay R W and Mittal B (1993), “Here’s the Beef: Factors, Determinants, and
Segments in Consumer Criticism of Advertising”, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57,
No. 3, pp. 99-114.

19. Reed M (2008), “The Ethics of Food Advertising on Children”, available at http:/
/healthmad.com/children/the-ethics-of-food-advertising-on-children/, October 2.

20. Rose G M, Bush V D and Kahle L (1998), “The Influence of Family Communication
Patterns on Parental Reactions Toward Advertising: A Cross National Examination”,
Journal of Advertising, Vol. 27, No. 4, pp. 71-85.

58 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012

21. Singhapakdi A, Vitell S and Kraft K L (1996), “Moral Intensity and Ethical Decision
Making of Marketing Professional”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 36, No. 3,
pp. 245-255.

22. Singhapakdi A, Vitell S and Franke G R (1999), “Antecedents, Consequences and

Mediating Effects of Perceived Moral Intensity and Personal Moral Philosophies”,
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 19-36.

23. Wentz L (2006), “Pop Stops Kids’ Marketing in Europe”, Advertising Age, January
30, available at http://adage.com/article/news/pop-stops-kids-marketing-europe/
105941/

24. York E B (2007), “Another Study Slams Food Ads Aimed at Children”, Advertising
Age, September 4, available at http://adage.com/article/news/study-slams-food-ads-
aimed-children/120222/

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 59

A Parental Viewpoint
 Appendix

Questionnaire

Respondent’s Name: ________________________________

Address: ________________________________

Contact No.: ________________________________

E-mail Id: ________________________________

1. Age of the parent (years):

! 25 and less ! 25-30

! 30-35 ! 35 and above

2. Gender of the respondent:

! Male ! Female

3. Education level of the parent:

! High school

! Graduate

! Postgraduate

4. Household income (per annum)( )

! 1-3 lakh ! 3-5 lakh

! 5-8 lakh ! 8 and above

5. Work status of the parent

! Working full-time ! Working part-time

! Not working

6. Number of children

! One ! Two

! Three ! Four

! More than four children

7. What kind of food items do you prefer for your children?

! Cereals ! Fast food

! Confectionaries ! Nutrition drinks

! Aerated drinks

60 The IUP Journal of Marketing Management, Vol. XI, No. 2, 2012

 Appendix (Cont.)
8. Mark your choice from the following statements

Strongly Strongly
Questions Agree Neutral Disagree
Agree Disagree
1. Advertisements have an influence
on me while making a purchase.
2. The existence of potential harm
on others is always wrong,
irrespective of the benefits gained.
3. It is never necessary to sacrifice
the welfare of others.
4. There is too much food
advertising directed at children.
5. The choice of food item is
strongly influenced by the choice
of my children.
6. Advertising to children makes
false claims about nutrition
content of food products.
7. Advertising teaches children bad
eating habits.
8. Advertisers use tricks and
gimmicks to get children to buy
their products.
9. Advertisers follow ethical
practices in advertisements
directed towards children.
10. The endorser has an effect on
my purchase decision.
11. The use of celebrities is
unethical for food items directed
towards children.
12. I usually pay attention to
nutrition information when I see
it in an ad or elsewhere.
13. I read about nutrition in
magazines or books.

9. Which key factor is your priority of choosing food for children?

Brand Price Taste Nutrition
10. Are you happy with the current practices of food advertisers?

Reference # 03J-2012-05-03-01

The Unethical Practices of Food Advertisements Targeted at Children: 61

A Parental Viewpoint
Copyright of IUP Journal of Marketing Management is the property of IUP Publications and its content may not
be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written
permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.