Slow Food Movement Challenges - the Fast Food Industry - Essay Example

?Fast food literary took over the food industry by storm, from its humble inception in the 1940s, fast food joints can now be found almost anywhere one cares to look, and this success has had its fair share of controversy. This is because it has been accused of being the primary contributor to increased cases of obesity therefore leading to a number of lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and so any more. Despite the health warnings that come with eating such kind of food, the world seems to be obsessed with fast food. The franchises associated with fast foods are increasing in number with a good example being the McDonalds, which serves more than 46 million customers daily due to the fact that it is spread over 121 countries. A number of law suits have been slapped on the fast food industry, citing its failure to label its food as containing high cholesterol, fat and salt. Carlo Petrini founded Slow Food Movement in 1986, in the Cuneo province in Italy, which was a response to a McDonalds being opened in the Piazza di Spagna in Rome (Petrini and Watson, 2001, p.22). This nonprofit making organization has its headquarters in Bra in the Italian Alps and the membership is voluntary and free. The main objective of the Slow Food Movement is to encourage participation in traditional preparation and eating of food and also promoting local products. Its symbol is the snail which might be the organization’s way of telling people to take eating and life in general easy as compared to being on the fast lane (Hayes and Laudan, 2008, p.921). But this should not be taken to mean that its pace in creating the effect it wants is slow as well. The Slow Food Movement has its own manifesto called the Ark of Taste Manifesto and its main aims are; protect the people who produce fine food from the standards of the industry, to protect endangered species such as animal breeds, cereals, fruits and cheeses from extinction. It also aims to encourage taste education, to stop the killing of the natural character of some production due to worry over hygiene and finally to ensure that people enjoy their rights to pleasure. For products to qualify as Ark products, they must; be of great quality and have a relationship with the area of production. They must also be produced in small quantities, be in danger of extinction and must be specific to a certain area (Jones et al 2003, p.300). The Slow Food Manifesto on Biotechnologies addresses the issue of transgenic foods these are genetically modified products, and it states that these foods cannot be justified just because they are cost effective. The other factors have to be considered such as the problems they bring to the environment, health, the society and also if it is ethical (Wilk, 2006, p.33). The long term and short term effects of these genetically modified foods are not easy to identify. The biotechnologies will lead to disappearance of crops and plants that are traditional due to reduction in biodiversity, the manifesto says. The use of modified organisms on foods necessitates the use of plant protection products and large scale land exploitation which has negative impacts on biological diversity. Slow food also addresses its concern on the effects that the genetically modified foods might have on the taste and organoleptic range of cooked foods (Suri, 2008). People consume food and the pleasure it brings them might have negative effect psychologically and socially. Slow Food established a movement called Slow City in 1999 whereby Italian cities and towns encouraged people to be loyal to their culinary traditions thus improving their quality of life (Newman and Jennings, 2008, p.195). The Slow Food movement has grown from its startup days where its main protest was about McDonalds to an international organization. It does not only seek to change the concept of fast foods but also the impact of technological and social and economic change. However it does not seem as if the Slow Movement can cause a big threat to the fast food industry. Its main impact can be to the local small scale food producers and likeminded individuals who enjoy their traditional foods. The fast foods have had a huge impact on the production and consumption of food at a national level, that fact is undeniable. The marketing and advertising campaigns of fast food retailers such as McDonalds have created a product awareness in the minds of people, especially so in young children. It therefore seems almost impossible for the Slow Food Movement to match up to this and even go as far as reversing the newly acquired eating culture of the people. Eating out is the most preferred leisure habit by urban people, a trend that has been created by not only McDonalds, but Burger King and KFC too; these are the major players in the league of fast food. The leading supplier of frozen foods in the UK, Brakes, supplies over a thousand different food products to pubs and restaurants. This just goes to show the preference of frozen food, as it shows more business sense in that the organizations that are in the catering business will prefer to deal with food that can be delivered to the table fast (Jones et al 2003, p.302). The counters in grocery stores are also filling up with convenience foods and those that are already prepared therefore providing a challenge to traditional foods. There has also been an increase in closure of small scale food providers such as butchers, grocers, fish mongers and many others. This is due to increased competition from large outlets that can source many varieties of food globally and this poses a real challenge to the Slow Food Movement. Poorer consumers are viewed to be disadvantaged by the fast food prevalence but they seem to be trying to turn the things around to their advantage. In Cumbria, food cooperatives have been set up to provide the population with fresh produce that is affordable to them. This has been in the wake of high statistics in cases of health issues therefore through the use of volunteer labor they are able to provide and encourage consumption in locally grown foods. The community especially the farmers did not think it was a viable project but thanks to the rise in consumer demand, they have taken up the projects enthusiastically. This initiative has also been taken up a step further by the Health Action Zone which educates schools on the importance of consuming fresh produce i.e. fruits and vegetables regularly and the positive effects they have on their bodies. The impact that fast food and slow food have had on the marketing world is irrefutable because they reflect the consumer demands, as fast foods are a reflection of the modern life where everything is on the fast lane. Women who are also relied on by their families to prepare meals are also heavily contributing to this lifestyle. Therefore, most of them are career women have very little time to prepare meals as women traditionally did; thus, they opt for the foods that are easy to get on the table (Menley, 2004, p.171). Cooking as was done long ago is now preserved for special days such as holidays and not as an everyday occurrence as it used to be. Therefore, some might blame it on the advertising power of the food industry manipulating the masses to consume fast foods. This depicts the masses as people who cannot think and make decisions for themselves and are therefore easy targets as they are easily pulled in. On the other hand, slow food seems to be the choice of a population that is informed and discerning. This population is deeply rooted in culture and its ideal life is one that people and nature live together in harmony. Life is taken at a slow pace and everything is done while taking care of the repercussions it might have. The truth of the matter though is; it is difficult to find a population that only survives on slow food. With the stress that is brought about by the working week, most people eat with the convenience of fast food while slow food is ideal as a leisure activity set aside for non-working days. Slow Food is not just about food, but it seeks to reach the masses to inform them that they are being exploited by the global giants and how globalization has played a role in this. Therefore it can be clearly seen that the Slow Food Movement have an uphill task in their current endeavor both in environment and biodiversity. A sizable chunk of advanced economies live in large cities and would therefore prove challenging to the Slow Food Movement to make an impact. A separation in workplace, residential and shopping areas in urban centers has also seen an increase in dependence on motor vehicles. However, the idea of dismantling the large cities into small communities or towns is not politically or economically feasible. The way of life has changed and people have been forced to adapt to it even if it means ignoring the obvious repercussions. However, that is not to say that the Slow Food cannot have an impact though on a smaller scale. Slow Food provides its followers with an opportunity to enjoy traditional foods and the leisure that comes with the preparation and cooking. It provides a break away from the technicalities and complexity of modern day living and the fast life. Nevertheless, the extent to which, it can bring a change to the modern lifestyle, how people eat, what they eat and to the environment as well, is still questionable. References Hayes, D. And Laudan, R. 2008. Food and Nutrition: Phytonutrients to Soul Food. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish. Jones, P. et al. 2003. Return to traditional values? A case study of Slow Food. British Food Journal. Vol. 105 Iss: 4 pp. 297 – 304. Menley, A. 2004. Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Slow Food. Anthropologica Magazines. Canadian Anthropology Society. Vol. 46, No. 2. Newman, P. and Jennings, I. 2008. Cities as Sustainable Ecosystems: Principles and Practices. Washington, DC: Island Press. Petrini, C. and Watson, B. 2001. Slow Food: Collected Thoughts on Taste, Tradition, and the Honest Pleasure of Food. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing, Suri, S. 2008. Dinnerology. Outlook. [Online] Available at http://119.82.71.52/article.aspx?237038 [Accessed on 28th April, 2013]. Wilk, R. 2006. Fast Food, Slow Food: The Cultural Economy of the Global Food System. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman Altamira. Read More