What You See Is Not What You Get: Food Advertising Amidst the Global Overweight and Obesity Pandemic

Authors

Marija Ocokoljic, Alfa BK UniversityFollow

ORCID

Marija Ocokoljic: 0009-0001-1893-021X

Keywords

food, advertising, overweight, obesity, nutrition

Abstract

The tandem issue of obesity and overweight is a serious global issue that has attained pandemic scale. Media, particularly advertising, plays an active role in shaping perceptions and behavioural patterns, influencing both how and what people eat. This paper analyses food advertising in Serbia in 2023 in the context of promoting dietary habits. Content analysis of commercials aired on a selection of television stations during the year showed the overwhelming prevalence of ads for food high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS), with confectionary products in lead positions. Commercial narratives centre on framing them as sources or catalysts for joyful, fun, and playful experiences. They encourage increased consumption, snacking outside regular mealtimes, and position HFSS foods as essential components to make meals feel complete.

Acknowledgments

Funding

The research received no funds.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of the article.

Declaration About the Scope of AI Utilization

The authors did not use an AI tool in the preparation of the article.

Recommended Citation

Ocokoljic, M. (2025). What You See Is Not What You Get: Food Advertising Amidst the Global Overweight and Obesity Pandemic. Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets, 2025(1), 19-33. https://doi.org/10.7172/2449-6634.jmcbem.2025.1.2

First Page

19

Last Page

33

Page Count

15

Received Date

18.12.2024

Revised Date

03.03.2025

Accepted Date

31.03.2025

Online Available Date

14.04.2025

DOI

10.7172/2449-6634.jmcbem.2025.1.2

JEL Code

M31, M37

Publisher

University of Warsaw