The paradox of choice: How indulgent options enhance subsequent healthy decision-making in consumers with low dietary self-control

• Published in: Food quality and preference 2025-03, Vol.124, p.105371, Article 105371
• Main Authors: Kwon, Mijin, Yoon, Song Oh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Choice sets; Competing goals; Consumer dietary choices; Dietary self-control; Healthy eating; Successive decision-making
• ISSN: 0950-3293
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2024.105371

•Including indulgent food options in a choice set can increase the selection of healthy options in subsequent decisions.•This effect arises from enhanced tradeoff analysis between the competing benefits of health and indulgence.•The impact is particularly pronounced among individuals with limited dietary self-control. Through four studies, we establish that when consumers with low dietary self-control are presented with both healthy and indulgent food options, rather than being limited to only healthy or indulgent choices, their likelihood of selecting a healthy option in a subsequent choice significantly increases. We contend that the presence of an indulgent option along with a healthy option enhances the relative appeal of health-related goals by prompting tradeoff analyses between competing goals of health and indulgence. We found that this effect is particularly pronounced among consumers who exhibit limited self-control over dietary consumption. Our research not only contributes theoretically to the field of consumer successive decision-making but also offers practical implications for individuals and organizations seeking to design effective interventions for individuals highly susceptible to unhealthy dietary choices.