Aversion to Human Intervention: Why Food in Complex Packaging Design Is Perceived as Less Healthy

ABSTRACT Packaging plays a crucial role in shaping individuals’ food choices. This research introduces the “visual complexity‐intervention inference effect” through five primary studies and two supplemental studies spanning diverse food categories. We demonstrate that complex packaging designs, characterized by more decorative elements, signal increased human intervention, which diminishes the perceived healthiness of the packaged food. This perception subsequently leads to decreased consumption, particularly among consumers with heightened health consciousness. The study advances the research on food packaging and design aesthetics, offering insights and recommendations for leveraging packaging design complexity to promote healthier food choices.