At the Grocery Store, Blinded by the Light of the Health Halo

shop talkAt the Grocery Store, Blinded by the Light of the ‘Health Halo’The term refers to the perception that a food product is generally good for us based on a single claim, casting subliminal power over our diets and dollars.By Dani BlumThis article is part of Shop Talk, a regular feature that explores the idioms of the business world: the insider jargon, the newly coined terms, the unfortunate or overused phrases.In the airport terminal, two different grab-and-go snacks may appeal to travelers rushing to catch their flights: One is a candy bar, wrapped in chocolate and caramel.The other is also a bar wrapped in chocolate and caramel, but it’s “high in protein.”If that promise of protein has ever influenced your purchase, the “health halo” may have been at work.

The term refers to a phenomenon where people may perceive a food product (or drink or supplement) as healthy based on a single claim — even if the snack is not-so-angelic.“Health halo” borrows from “halo effect,” a cognitive bias where people perceive someone or something in an overall positive way based on a single trait.(A well-used example: assuming a physically attractive person is also kind.)A single claim (think “low calorie” or “organic”) emblazoned on a package, or a nutritious-sounding ingredient in large font, can do the heavy lifting for a food brand.

The claim may be true, but that doesn’t mean the product is healthy: The sugar content of a protein bar, for example, may rival that of a candy bar.Still, the halo has cast a good-for-you glow over the North American protein bar market, which, according to one estimate, could grow to over $11 billion by 2030.How it’s pronouncedWe are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

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