Why eating cheap chocolate can feel embarrassing – even though no one else cares

Researchers describe what they call a consumption stigma – when you feel judged or looked down on for using certain products or services.

By: Siti Nuraisyah Suwanda, West Virginia University; Emily Tanner, West Virginia University, and M. Paula Fitzgerald, West Virginia University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: February 10, 2026

Words: 1,014

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By Siti Nuraisyah Suwanda, West Virginia University; Emily Tanner, West Virginia University, and M. Paula Fitzgerald, West Virginia University

It’s February, and you grab a box of cheap Valentine’s chocolate from the grocery store on your lunch break. Later, you’re eating it at your office desk when you realize someone else is watching. Suddenly, you feel a flicker of embarrassment. You hide the box away, make a joke or quietly wish they hadn’t noticed – not …

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