Education logo

Business-Managed Democracy

‘Business-managed democracies are those in which the political and cultural
arrangements are managed in the interests of business.’
Sharon Beder, 2009.


Menu Bar
pointer Business-Managed Democracy » Education » Commercialism » Product Sales » Junk Food
Junk Food in Schools

Some Statistics

US reference
Reference: ‘Commercial Activities in Schools', US Government Accountability Office (GAO), August 2004, p. 11.(pdf)
vending machineAll school districts sell commercial products, including soft drinks and snack or fast food.

reference
Reference: ‘The Facts About Marketing to Kids’, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, February 2005, p. 15. (pdf)

Three in four high schools, every second middle school and almost one in three elementary schools sell sweets. Brand name foods are sold in school cafeterias.

reference
Reference: ‘The Facts About Marketing to Kids’, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, February 2005, p. 15. (pdf); Zoe Weil, ‘The Business of Brainwashing’, Animals' Agenda, vol 20, no 1, 2000, p. 30.

Some schools have replaced their federally subsidised school lunch program with privatised food services from fast food giants Taco Bell, McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Subway.

reference
Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics, ‘Children, Adolescents, and Advertising’, Pediatrics, vol 118, no 6, 2006 , p. 2565.

Taco Bell is in 3000 school cafeterias and Pizza Hut is in 4500 school cafeterias.

reference
Reference: Naomi Klein, No Logo, London, Harper Collins, 2000, p. 91.
burger and chips

Some schools have signed agreements with big brand names not to provide generic pizzas and burgers that might compete.
Canada reference
Reference: Eve Lazarus, ‘Cafeteria Blues’, Marketing Magazine, 19 January, 2004
Some high schools in British Columbia, Canada, also offer McDonald’s, KFC and Subway food outlets for school lunches.
UK reference
Reference: ‘Briefing on School's Role in Promoting Child Health and Combating Commercialism’, National Union of Teachers, 9 November, p. 1. (pdf)
Vending machines selling soft drinks, crisps and sweets can earn English schools the equivalent of two teachers’ salaries.

back to top

Links

arrowPrevious

See also: Product Sales | Soft Drink Sales | Fundraising | Coupon-Redemption Schemes

References

 

© 2009 Sharon Beder
http://www.herinst.org/BusinessManagedDemocracy/education/commercialism/food.html
Government