Charities slam Domino’s ‘cynical’ marketing

Health charities have branded a Domino’s Pizza campaign that encourages families short on time to eat pizza mid-week as “cynical” and “reckless” for positioning a food they claim is unhealthy as an everyday meal.

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The spot promotes the ‘Midweek Rescue’ promotion, which offers shoppers 50 per cent off any pizza order over £15.00 when they order during what the company claims is the midweek family rush hour between 4pm and 6pm.

It is based on customer insights according to the business with a nationwide TV campaign also running to show how “Domino’s is the perfect solution for ease and convenience when it comes to surviving the daily grind”.

Charities Sustain, The Heart Forum and Weight Concern have all slammed Domino’s, claiming it is an attempt to market the midweek deal as a regular family meal rather than as an occasional treat.

Charlie Powell, director for Sustain’s Children’s Food Campaign, says: “Encouraging families to eat more pizza is highly irresponsible and can only be bad for children’s, and their parents’, health.”

Jane Landon, deputy chief executive of the Heart Forum, adds: “Marketing these foods as everyday meals rather than occasional treats seems pretty reckless, especially as Domino’s does not provide traffic light signals to show customers how much salt or fat they are getting when they place their order.”

Domino’s has defended the service, claiming “we are a family-friendly brand with our customers using us for once in a while treats – not for everyday purchases.”

A spokesman for the pizza chain adds: “This particular deal provides great value for the whole family to eat at dinner time and hopefully it will ease some of the stress surrounding a work life balance.

“As a brand we understand the importance of a balanced diet and in 2012 we signed up to the Department of Health’s Responsibility Deal pledging to reduce, among other things, salt in our products. We all need a treat from time to time and we are very clear in making available the calorie content of pizzas both at the main point of order and in more detail on our website as well as providing fundamental information on the importance of a balance diet.”

The TV advert uses the brand’s new logo, which was unveiled in the UK for the first time earlier this month (15 March).

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