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Marketing

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Marketing ethics
To judge a marketing activity is ethical or not, there are few areas to check. The marketing mix, known as four Ps, consists of product, price, promotion and place. For the product side, all the substantial risks of the products should be disclosed. In the points of price, it should not be too high. In the area of promotion, misleading or deceptive advertising should be avoided. In terms of place, coercion in the marketing channel should not be used. In the following essay, KFC is chosen to illustrate the topic of marketing ethics.

KFC’s marketing activity Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is a famous fast-food shop, which sells chicken-related food mainly. It is a multinational company. It has branch stores over the world including United Kingdom, China, Thailand, Kuwait, Spain and Pakistan. It sold over 800,000,000 chickens a year. (Smith, 2010) It succeeds in gaining such a large market share because most of the people love fried food. However, KFC provides unhealthy, even harmful foods to customers. Almost all the products contain chicken and much oil. They are not just producing junk food, but also selling toxic food to the consumers. They use oil which contains Tran’s fatty acids, which has harmful effect on human beings. It uses this kind of oil because it can raise its profits by reducing the costs. Moreover, in order to ensure adequate supply of chickens, they inject hormone into the chickens. It shortens the growing period of chickens. Each chicken has four legs and six wings. It is harmful for human beings to absorb excess hormone.

Why it is unethical? It is understandable that maximizing profit is the major objective for all businesses. However, this goal should be achieved through ethical ways. KFC provides harmful food to customers in order to reach this target is unethical. In order to lower the production cost, KFC is using oil which contains Tran’s fatty acids. Many health experts and other nutritionists pointed out that the type of fats used when cooking highly affects the nutrition contents and health value of the food. The purpose of these Trans fats is to make commodities prepared through baking last longer. However, the Nutrition Action Health letter, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), reported in 1997 that Tran’s fat raised people’s blood cholesterol about as much as saturated fat did. Tran’s fatty acids are believed to be twice as damaging as saturated fat. Providing this kind of unhealthy food to customers violates the AMA code of ethics. These diseases will even raise the medical expense of the government. It does not harm the public health only but also impose harms on the financial status of the society.
Since Trans-fatty acids are not included on food labels, they are invisible to consumers. Customers believe that KFC is a large company which will not provide food that harms their health. The truth is KFC really did this. They even want to hide this secret. It relates to the issue of honesty. Not disclosing this information is inconsistent with the AMA code of ethics. People continue to support KFC without knowing its ugly truth.
Apart from the unhealthy oil being used, KFC serves ‘genetic chicken’ to consumers, as mentioned above. Normally, chickens need at least two months to grow up. They have two legs and two wings only. However, this cannot meet with KFC’s large demand for chickens. Thus, KFC inject hormone into the chickens to make them grow faster with bigger legs and wings. They even produce ‘genetic chicken’ with four legs and for wings. The chickens even have no hair in order to save the process of pulling off their hair. If people absorb excess hormone, they will grow faster, especially girls. It shows clearly that KFC does not consider the safety and health problems of the public, but only cares its own profit. It violates the AMA code of ethics KFC is a famous fast-food shop which earns a huge amount of money. It does not provide discounts to benefit customers but even to cheat them in an unethical way. It aims at earing every dollar, every cent. Although it is the goal of every enterprise, they should achieve it through an ethical means.

Ways to improve To cope with the health problems, KFC should follow the guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO). Although fried food needs lots of oil, they can choose the one healthier like olive oil. The most important thing is the oil should not be used more than once, otherwise, it will release some harmful chemicals.
Apart from fried chicken, KFC may decide some healthy food such as steamed or grilled chicken and salad. They contain less oil. Everyone concerns their health. Healthy and lighter food is the modern trend of eating. KFC can still keep its famous food-chickens, but change the way to cook it. They can offer a large variety of food to different kinds of people. It may help for their revenue. Despite putting efforts on deciding new dishes, KFC should make clear the nutrient contents of the foods provided. Customers, therefore, can make decision to eat it or not with clear understanding. KFC should take the responsibilities to let the customers know the nutrient content of the foods they eat. Besides, KFC should stop producing ‘genetic chicken’. It should use natural way to rear chickens, but not genetic way to make them grow faster. In fact, it is possible for them rear less chickens as they throw away many unsold chickens every day. It causes kitchen waste problem which is very serious problem nowadays.

Conclusion As shown above, KFC is doing unethical marketing. It does harm to the publics. It is a selfish company which only cares its own profits but not considering the other’s interests. In the essay, the point ‘product’ of the four Ps is discussed mainly. It provides food with Trans’ fatty acids which harm people’s health. If they can follow the above methods to make improvement, it is possible for KFC be a better company, which is more ethical.
1015 words

References

1) Bhatt B. (2011). Unethical Practices in Business. Retrieved 26 October, 2012 from http://www.blognbuzz.com/unethical-practices-in-business.html

2) Rajeev L. (2012). Ethical and Unethical Business Practices. Retrieved 25 October, 2012 from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ethical-and-unethical-business-practices.html

3) Smith C. (2010). Ethics At Kfc. Retrieved 25 October, 2012 from http://www.articlesbase.com/ethics-articles/ethics-at-kfc-1924425.html

4) Internet. (2010). Repot of unethical issues or behavior of KFC. Retrieved 25 October, 2012 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/53276566/report-on-kfc-s-unethical-issues

5) Internet. (2003). AMA CODE OF ETHICS. Retrieved 26 October, 2012 from http://www.helleniccomserve.com/marketingcodeofethics.html

6) Internet. (2010). KFC’s ugly truth. Retrieved 27 October, 2012 from http://zh.scribd.com/doc/31133319/KFC-s-Ugly-Truth

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