Deadly badges of honor

My friend shared a few snacks from his trip to Chile. Digging in, I spotted peculiar black labels on a few of the packages:

“That’s a great one,” my friend said. “It has three stickers!”

The buttery biscuit cookies were a triple threat: high in calories, sugar, and saturated fat.

“The chips are pretty good too. Two stickers!” he added, half-jokingly.

Chile’s food warning system was well intentioned. Roughly 39% of Chileans were obese as of 2017, according to the NIH (source). Chile’s Ministry of Health sought to educate consumers on the dangers of snacking.

But the campaign had an unintended consequence. Instead of deterring people, the labels became a badge of honor, signaling tastier, more indulgent treats. People began seeking them out as if the warnings guaranteed quality.

I bet that a majority of consumers understand junk food is bad for them, according to my credentials as a junk-food eater. We indulge in it because the snacks are addictive or we lack healthy alternatives.

I see Chile’s black-sticker dilemma as a reminder to avoid jumping to conclusions and to dig deeper into people’s motivations. Understanding the “why” can help create solutions that truly address the problem—without unintended consequences.