More snackers are choosing “power” bars instead of candy bars when they
need an energy short cut, according to Carolyn de la Peña, an American
studies scholar at the University of California at Davis.
The result is the growth of a new superfood industry promoting
technological superiority over taste and smell, speed over leisure.
With ingredient labels prominently displayed on packages, consumers can
now choose the snack that has the best formula of calories, caffeine,
sodium, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, or other
ingredients, de la Peña notes.
Marketing to the psychology of consumers is part of what’s driving the
trend, as super-caffeinated drinks like Red Bull are packaged to create
the illusion of power and modernity. As a result, cultural attitudes
toward food may be following attitudes toward technology.
“These superfoods tap into how excited people feel to be in the modern
technological age. Eating these superfoods is seen as a productive,
modern act,” concludes de la Peña.
SOURCE: University of California at Davis,
http://www-pubcomm.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=6801
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