Have you ever bought a bag of chips and eaten all of them without really thinking about it? Well, you’re not alone. It’s a regular occurrence for many and this is exactly what many food companies want you to do.
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They design their packaging in all sorts of clever ways to encourage overeating. That way, over time, the average consumer purchases more snacks than they might otherwise. This all too common phenomenon inspired Industrial Design Engineering student Elizabeth Berghuijs to create a healthier alternative while she worked on her MSc thesis. She spent over nine months working on the project, during which she took a close look at many of the methods food companies use to trick you into gobbling up too many snacks. “First of all, there is the size of packages,” she said. “A bigger package makes you think there should be more food in one portion. This makes you eat more.”
Berghuijs also learned that the graphics, photos and wording used on packaging can further lead to overconsumption. The use of certain terms like ‘healthy’ often convinces consumers that it’s OK to eat too much. While conducting her research, Berghuijs studied how people react to different types of packaging and how companies might come up with designs that discourage unhealthy eating habits.
“It may sound easy but I would recommend using a transparent package without partitions,” Berghuijs said. “It should also, for example, be very clear how many cookies are in one serving.
A single cookie in a plastic wrapper would not work because you will not feel fully saturated by eating one. But putting multiple cookies in one package will make you feel fuller after eating them.”
Berghuijs created a prototype for the project that uses methods like these. One day, they may help consumers become smarter when it comes to snacking.
Berghuijs, E.F., Influencing Consumption Behaviour Through Food Packaging Design, Supervisors: Dr. J.P.L. Schoormans and P. Cankurtaran, Defence: May 31, 2016
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