This week on After Hours, we unpacked something that quietly shapes almost every decision you make in the supermarket: the health halo effect. It’s the idea that a single “good” word on packaging, like plant-based, natural, or added vitamins, creates a perception that the entire product is healthy. In reality, that same product could still be high in sugar, salt, or heavily processed. As I shared, this isn’t accidental. Brands understand how our brains work. We’re busy, we’re time-poor, and we rely on shortcuts. So instead of reading the back label, we trust the front. And that’s where the disconnect happens.
The takeaway isn’t to become paranoid, but to become a little more aware. Most people genuinely want to be healthier, but the system doesn’t always make that easy. Between marketing, pricing strategies, and limited time, even the best intentions can be misled. My advice is simple: be a little more skeptical, focus less on the claims and more on the substance, and understand that “healthy” is not a label, it’s a composition. When you know better, you can choose better. And that’s really the goal, not perfection, but progress.
After Hours is where science gets personal. Hosted by Dr Vincent, your friendly neighbourhood scientist and Stephen!
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