It is observed by a large group of the people, that the number of coffee shops and fast-food vendors have been on the rise recently. People have raised concerns over the exponential increase in the number of vendors and the impact it could have on the society. As per my understanding of the societal state, the demand for fast-food and coffee has drastically increased which in-turn has led to the increase in supply. We must understand that demand and supply go hand-in-hand.
The work life balance of many individuals has been declining over the years. The hectic work hours are the main reason for stress and anxiety. Originally, the work hours were tailored to families that had only one working individual; usually the man (husband). The woman (wife) in the relationship was expected to do the chores and cook food for the family. Talking about the modern society, with the implementation of equal rights, the women have grown and now occupy major positions in the society. This has led to both men and women working full-time, resulting in lack of time for their personal health. As a result of this, picking up food from fast-food vendors becomes an easy decision as it saves time and energy. The food industry exploits the people by using their desperation. Same applies to a bachelor working his regular full-time job and barely makes a living. The workload and stress forces an individual to resort to the unhealthy fast-food joint. The horrible work hours make it a necessity for the working class to consume coffee. Companies providing coffee stores within the campus further amplifies the dangerous caffeine addiction.
On the other hand, the rise in food demand has provided low earning members of the society to open up and scale their shops. The rise in food delivery apps has allowed even the smallest shop to be seen in the open market. More options mean more competition. This helps the consumer directly as the competitive market would offer a competitive price. It not only helps people financially but it provides better options as well. Over the recent years, we have seen a growth in vegan members of the society. Food and coffee vendors have modernised to provide vegan milk, almond milk, etc. and environmentally friendly cups and straws for the betterment of the world.
The working class people are not the only ones suffering. The young school students and college goers have also become a victim to this. To prove a social status on well known platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, etc. more and more teenagers are going out than what is considered to be normal to not have the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO). New coffee and food shops are created that specially cater towards the young audience as they are the next emerging generation. Not being aware of the health risks and focussed mainly on the aesthetics of the shop, the youngsters have become an easy target to the food industry sharks.
Overall this has impacted the society a lot. As a matter of fact, it has impacted the entire world. The World Obesity Index has risen to an all time high. Diabetes and liver issues across the world has also gone up. This impact has not just been physiological, but has severely damaged mental health of individuals as well. These unhealthy habits have led to an increase in stress levels, anxiety and depression which has been the major cause for suicide rates to be so high. To conclude, with the increase in food and drinks vendors, there needs to be some control to regulate people’s health. The people, especially the youngsters also need to be educated on the health risks to sustain a healthy, high functioning society.