Misleading health halos around fast-food consumption in India

The fast-food industry is one of the most widespread industries in India. The study aimed to find out the positive perceptions that consumers have around fast food and their contents and to what extent these influence their purchase decisions. This paper provides insights into the fast-food industry, their consumption rates and the health risks they pose. Frequent fast-food consumers were subjected to descriptive questionnaires and in-depth telephonic interviews. The responses were then transcribed and analysed to identify the most common perceptions the respondents possess about their food. This study found that there exists a considerable number of misconceptions about the food they consume, the way of preparation, the ingredients they possess and the calorific values of the contents. However, it was observed that taste plays a major role in determining the consumption pattern of any food item. It was also evident that awareness amongst consumers is increasing, and the percentage is likely to increase in times to come. These findings have significant implications for the fast-food industry as the change in consumer demand will impact them and they need to curate such strategies to retain the consumer base.