What Makes a Smart Consumer? Knowing Deceptive Advertising and Marketing Tactics

In today’s world, smart and diligent consumerism will take you a long way. There are scores of products that all hold fast to claims of quality and integrity. The truth about purchasing most products however is that you must be privy to the meaning of health subtitles.

Smart and Diligent Consumerism: Reading Labels and Exposing Deceptive Advertising and Marketing Tactics

In the realm of health foods and supplements, products are pushed in many different ways. Advertising techniques can range from pointing out unique vitamins or minerals to branding the product as ‘all natural’ or ‘certified organic.’ The Food and Drug Administration’s regulations make the guidelines for authenticity rather lenient, thus companies capitalize on the lack of awareness in the average buyer often by using deceptive advertising and marketing tactics. The average person on a base level acknowledges that there are dangerous additives like aspartame and high fructose corn syrup in many products. In an attempt to avoid these harmful ingredients, a product with an ‘all natural’ label will be picked up instead. Many products that are labeled as such, however, often don’t contain all natural ingredients and are simply the result of deceptive advertising and marketing tactics.

Under these regulations, it is entirely acceptable to include additives which aren’t deemed ‘additives’ based on the FDA. It is also acceptable to use unnatural preparation methods like frying, genetic modification, or pasteurization.

These things cause the product to only be part natural at best.

Even more remarkable is that the terms ‘natural’and ‘all natural’ have no defined parameters in law or regulation, so essentially products with these claims can be and are easily as contaminated as the products trying to be avoided.

It is Time to Enhance Consumerism

Advertisers have adapted to the increase in consumer awareness concerning issues with food products. Unfortunately, the awareness has only led to advertisers using deceptive advertising to market their products within what the consumer believes to be the alternative solution. These products pose as the real deal, but are often still just as unhealthy as the products prior.

Generally, consumers think they want ‘all natural’ products, but are actually looking for certified organic foods. These generally have a higher quality and nutritional value than conventional foods and the ‘natural’ alternatives. However, some organic products are only made with organic ingredients, which means that the product could be made with only 70 percent organic ingredients . Similarly to how the natural foods are manipulated, the remaining 30 percent of ingredients in the product may still be subject to unnatural preparation methods, or contain quantities of non organic substance. Some issues must be resolved concerning deceptive advertising and this modern-day movement known as consumerism.

View the USDA organic program guidelines for yourself.

Genetically modified seeds may also be carried through the air to organic fields, thereby destroying the integrity of many organic crops.

So what does the smart consumer look for?

Generally, organic products will contain a percentage of organic content on their label. Look for the highest possible percentage rates while also looking for GMO free foods. Among health concerns, GMO contaminated food is arguably the highest priority to avoid.

Pay attention to certain food processing methods, like pasteurization, irradiation, or frying.

Notice the content of sugar or salt in all of these products. Despite being organic, food is still not healthy if it contains huge amounts of sugar or sodium.

Most oils used in products (canola, sunflower, vegetable) unless otherwise stated, may be genetically modified.

Avoid soy and corn as they are the most often genetically modified crops used in food.

Avoid artificial sweeteners like aspartame and suraclose.

Note the number of ingredients in a product in general. A lesser amount of ingredients usually means it is less processed and usually omits most chemical additives.