How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in…

Question

How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society ? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience.

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Fast food grows in India despite rising health worries because urban time poverty, aspiration, glocalised chains and delivery apps sell convenience faster than awareness changes behaviour. NFHS-5 (2019-21) found about a quarter of adults overweight or obese, yet ultra-processed food sales grew about 13% a year in 2011-2021.

**Introduction**

NFHS-5 (2019-21) found 24% of women and 23% of men overweight or obese, and the ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines (2024) blame over half of India's disease burden on unhealthy diets. Yet fast food keeps growing because social change outruns awareness.

**Why Fast Food Grows Despite Health Concerns**

SKETCH: forcefield | Fast Food in India
center: Fast food growth
driving: Time poverty, Aspiration, Delivery apps, Marketing
restraining: NCD awareness, Labelling rules, Health taxes

1. **Time poverty**: Nuclear families, commutes and dual-earner homes leave little time to cook, so ready food replaces the kitchen.
2. **Aspiration and status**: Branded outlets signal modernity for the young middle class, a form of Westernisation in M.N. Srinivas's sense.
3. **McDonaldization, glocalised**: Ritzer's efficiency and predictability give cheap, uniform food, and Indianised menus like the McAloo Tikki make it feel familiar.
4. **Behavioural gap**: Risks feel distant while taste is immediate, and advertising aimed at children widens the gap.

**The Indian Experience Illustrated**

1. **Post-1991 opening**: Liberalised FDI and franchising brought McDonald's in 1996, and India became Domino's largest market outside the United States.
2. **Platform economy**: Swiggy and Zomato took fast food to tier-2 towns; a WHO-ICRIER study (2023) found ultra-processed food sales grew about 13% a year in 2011-2021.
3. **Uneven pushback**: Kerala's 14.5% fat tax (2016), the 40% GST slab on sugary drinks (2025) and Eat Right India show intent, while chains answer worry with millet and "fresh" branding.

**Way Forward**

1. **Warnings and ad curbs**: India should enforce simple front-of-pack warnings on the Chilean model and limit junk-food advertising to children.
2. **Healthy and fast**: Back millet-based and regional quick foods so the healthy choice is also convenient.

**Conclusion**

Fast food grows because it sells convenience faster than awareness spreads. Turning knowledge into behaviour is vital if India's demographic dividend is not to become a disease dividend, in line with SDG 3.

How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society ? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience.

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