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This lesson covers how food marketing and advertising influence food choice, as required by the AQA GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification (8585), section 3.5. You need to understand the different marketing techniques used to encourage consumers to buy food products and how these techniques influence purchasing decisions.
Food marketing includes all the methods used by food manufacturers, retailers and restaurants to promote their products and encourage consumers to buy them. Marketing affects food choice because it influences:
Price promotions are one of the most effective marketing tools:
| Promotion Type | How It Works | Impact on Consumer |
|---|---|---|
| BOGOF (Buy One Get One Free) | Buy one item and receive a second identical item free | Encourages buying more than needed; may lead to food waste |
| Multi-buy offers (3 for 2, 2 for £3) | Discount for buying multiple items | Encourages bulk buying; good value if items are used, but may lead to waste |
| Reduced-price stickers | Items near their use-by date sold at a reduced price | Good value; reduces food waste; but must be consumed quickly |
| Meal deals | Set combination (e.g., sandwich + drink + snack for £3.50) | Encourages buying more items than originally planned |
| Loyalty cards (Tesco Clubcard, Nectar) | Points earned on purchases, redeemable for discounts | Encourages repeat visits to the same store; data collection on buying habits |
| Coupons and vouchers | Money-off coupons in newspapers, apps, or on receipts | Encourages purchase of specific products; may introduce consumers to new items |
| Introductory offers | New products sold at a lower price initially | Encourages trial of new products |
| Loss leaders | Essential items (milk, bread) sold at or below cost price | Attracts customers into the store; they then buy other, higher-margin products |
Exam Tip: BOGOF and multi-buy offers are frequently examined. A common question asks you to evaluate whether these offers benefit the consumer. Key point: they save money only if you would have bought the items anyway. They often lead to food waste because people buy more than they can use before the use-by date.
| Technique | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Celebrity endorsement | Famous people promote products (e.g., athletes endorsing sports drinks) |
| Cartoon characters | Used on children's food products to appeal to young consumers |
| Health claims | "Contains added vitamins," "high in fibre," "part of a balanced diet" |
| Emotional appeal | Advertisements linking food to happiness, family, comfort, nostalgia |
| Lifestyle association | Linking food to desirable lifestyles (fitness, adventure, luxury) |
| Limited-time offers | Creating urgency — "available for a limited time only" |
Social media has become a major channel for food marketing:
| Platform | Marketing Method |
|---|---|
| Food photography; influencer partnerships; branded content | |
| TikTok | Viral food trends; recipe videos; challenges |
| YouTube | Recipe content; product reviews; sponsored content |
| Targeted advertising based on user data; community groups |
Social media marketing is particularly effective because:
The UK has restrictions on advertising unhealthy food to children:
| Restriction | Detail |
|---|---|
| TV advertising | Foods high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) cannot be advertised during children's TV programmes |
| Online advertising | Planned restrictions on paid online advertising of HFSS foods aimed at children |
| Cartoon characters | Under voluntary codes, some companies have agreed not to use cartoon characters on HFSS products |
| School vending machines | Restrictions on what can be sold in school vending machines |
Point of sale marketing refers to promotional techniques used in the shop itself:
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