Child consumption of fun food : between deviating practice and reappropriating food-use
Résumé
Purpose: The study shows that the child is not a passive consumer, rather that he has a reflexive attitude towards his eating practice and the ability to override food-use rules invented by the manufacturers.
Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on an ethnographical survey conducted among families with children aged from six to twelve, this paper will seek to show, from the child’s point of view, why fun products which at first sight are so catching, should not in fact be much fun when used. From the observations made of the children’s eating practice with regard to specific fun foods, and from interviews with the children on these, it emerges that these foods give the child little scope for deciding how to eat them.
Findings: Over the years, there has appeared on the market a range of fun food products for which clear instructions are given on how children should eat and play with them. Despite copy, worded with the young consumer in mind, and carefully defined product affordance, consumer practice is far removed from what the product designers anticipate. For the child, however, deviating from prescribed use and re-appropriating products with his own “art of doing” or food-use techniques are key elements of his eating practice.
Originality/Value: most of the studies on that topic are centred on fun food manufacturers and industry. The most original aspect of that study is to focus on the children’s representations, discourses and practices. Thus, it provides a new regard on fun food consumption.