Proximity dramatically increases consumption—research by Maas and Hunter shows snacks placed farther away are eaten significantly less often. The office candy bowl presents multiple exposures daily, social normalization, and small-portion rationalization. Willpower alone isn’t a strategy against repeated decisions.
This companion explores the proximity effect, the specific challenge of communal snacks, strategy options (change the environment, change your route, establish a rule), and the identity approach that makes the candy bowl irrelevant. (4 min read)