The culture industry refers to the factory producing standardised cultural goods. This term was first coined by the critical theorists Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer that was presented in the book ‘Dialectic of Enlightenment.’ The sociology of food is concerned with history, production, consumption, distribution, ethical, environmental, and labour issues. Globalisation plays a massive role in the food supply chain by enabling scale effect in the food distribution industry.
Food symbolises ‘togetherness.’ For example, the tradition of eating with the family around the table represents this communication. Fast food depicts a busy family that needs a quick dinner. The cultural manufacturers play a dominant part in the society where the man with leisure has to accept whatever is offered to him. Consumption of the natural pleasures of popular culture, made available by the mass media communication, renders people docile and content, no matter their economic positions.
The inherent danger of the culture industry is the cultivation of false psychological needs that can only be met and satisfied by the producers of capitalism. The early 20th century witnessed a proliferation of new forms of mass communication and the emergence of an enormous entertainment industry geared towards the creation of a profit through the production and distribution of cultural products. The statement that the consumer is the king of the market is not meticulously followed by the culture industry, as they consider consumers as their object of optimum satisfaction.
The rapid rise of the fast-food industry has brought major shifts in the lifestyle of people due to the changing consumer behaviour and demography. Currently, India is sailing in the same boat as the US when it comes to fast food consumption. For example, in India, an average person’s consumption includes six main food groups: grain (rice, wheat, maize, etc.), dairy and eggs, vegetable and fruits, meat, sugar and fat, and others. Thus, the culture industry plays a leading role in meeting the mammoth demand for the goods consumed by an average Indian.
