McDonald’s targets kids in lower-income countries with social media posts, study finds

McDonald’s is focusing on youth with social media advertising posts in some countries globally, in accordance with a brand new study. File photograph by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 21 (UPI) — Fast-food chain McDonald’s could also be focusing on youngsters in decrease middle-income countries globally with advertising messages, probably worsening weight loss plan issues in among the world’s most susceptible populations, an evaluation printed Tuesday by the journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health discovered.
The evaluation of the chain’s social media posts, promoting and promotional campaigns reveals that extra Instagram posts, value promotions and child-friendly advertising targets youthful customers in these countries than these in wealthier nations, the researchers mentioned.

McDonald’s created 154% extra advertising posts in decrease middle-income countries than in higher-income countries, the information confirmed.
In addition, whereas about one in 5 firm social media posts in lower-middle revenue countries was child-friendly, in comparison with about one in eight in high-income countries, in accordance with the researchers.

With entry to wholesome, nutritious meals choices already a problem in many of those countries, the youth-focused advertising techniques might worsen present public well being issues there, they mentioned.

“This is a crucial and well timed evaluation, as a result of we’re starting to realize insights into ‘entire programs’ determinants of meals decisions, which embody meals manufacturing, meals provide and the meals surroundings,” vitamin advocate Sumantra Ray mentioned in a press launch.
“This study presents early, however essential, insights into the affect of promoting, a comparatively uncared for space of dietary analysis,” mentioned Ray, government director of the NNEdPro Global Center for Nutrition and Health in the United Kingdom, who was not a part of the analysis workforce.

McDonald’s is the biggest fast-food firm in the world, and it operates greater than 36,000 eating places in 101 countries, together with greater than 14,000 in the United States, in accordance with trade knowledge.
“This restricted study, which appears to be like at a small fraction of McDonald’s 100-plus international markets, shouldn’t be an correct illustration of our social media content material globally,” the corporate mentioned in a press release offered to UPI.
“McDonald’s takes significantly how our model engages with our youngest prospects, together with setting Global Happy Meal Goals to assist promote balanced menu choices and accountable advertising to kids below age 12,” it mentioned.
“While every market has the flexibleness to tailor social content material to what’s most vital to their prospects whereas abiding by native tips, themes like worth, balanced decisions and sustainability seem regularly throughout social channels in all of our markets,” the corporate added.

For this study, the researchers from New York University’s School of Global Public Health analyzed the corporate’s posts on one of many world’s hottest social media platforms, Instagram, in 15 high-income, upper-middle-income and lower-middle-income countries, as outlined by the World Bank.
The 15 countries included in the evaluation had been the United States, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Malaysia, Panama, Portugal, Romania, South Africa and United Arab Emirates.
The researchers took screenshots of all Instagram posts on the corporate’s accounts in these countries between September and December 2019, and added the variety of followers, “likes,” feedback and video views related with every account, they mentioned.
The 15 accounts maintained a complete of 10 million followers and generated 3.9 million “likes,” 164,816 feedback and 38.2 million video views, the information confirmed.
Consumers in lower-middle-income countries resembling Egypt, India and Indonesia noticed a median of 108 advertising posts in the course of the four-month study interval, the researchers mentioned.
Meanwhile, these in higher-income countries, together with the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, Panama, Portugal and the United Arab Emirates, noticed a median of 43 throughout the identical interval, in accordance with the researchers.
Five % of the corporate’s Instagram posts in high-income countries depicted wholesome habits, whereas about 3% of these in higher middle-income countries and decrease middle-income countries did so, the information confirmed.

In addition, 14% of McDonald’s posts in high-income countries included value promotions and free giveaways, in comparison with 40% in lower-middle-income countries, the researchers mentioned.
“As social media use grows, quick meals corporations’ social media advertisements might have unprecedented results on dietary choices, particularly in lower-income countries,” the researchers wrote.
“By focusing on sure subsets by means of child-targeted advertisements and value promotions, McDonald’s social media advertisements might exacerbate healthcare points in probably the most susceptible countries in the world,” they mentioned.

https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2021/12/21/McDonalds-targets-youth-online-overseas-study/4991640120467/