Food Advertisements in School Hallways and Cafeterias

The food industry has identified children and adolescents as a major market force, and one of the primary ways in which they have sought to reach them has been through advertising in schools. Particularly since the 1990s, school hallways and cafeterias have become increasingly appealing sites for food marketers because they allow companies to reach a captive audience and build brand loyalty among young consumers. At the same time, funding shortages and financial vulnerability on the part of schools make marketing agreements attractive for the source of revenue they provide. As childhood obesity and diet-related diseases in youth have been on the rise, so too have concerns about the relationship between schools and food advertisers. The primary concerns about food advertisements in schools are that ...