Infectious Disease Threats Increase Preference for Plastic-packaged Products

We examine how exposure to infectious disease threats influences consumers’ preference for plastic-packaged (vs. unpackaged) food product options. Drawing from evolutionary psychology and threat management systems, we predict that infectious disease threats increase the relative preference for plastic-packaged products versus unpackaged options because of the activation of the Behavioral Immune System (BIS), a disease avoidance system aiming to recognize cues of pathogenic threats and avoid them prior to infection. Results from one correlational field study and two experiments provide support for our predictions. Results from our studies advance knowledge on the evolutionary strategies aiming at disease avoidance that shape consumers’ preference for safe but unsustainable, food product options.