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 because the chocolate tastes bad, but because you don’t want to be judged for choosing it.

If the scenario above feels familiar, you’re not alone. Many people experience subtle embarrassment or self-consciousness about everyday consumption choices, from eating cheap Valentine’s chocolate to accepting free lunch from a school food program or having visible tattoos.

We are social marketing researchers who study stigma in marketing. In our research, we coined the term “consumption stigma” to describe how people can be judged or looked down on by others, or by themselves, simply for using certain products – even when there’s nothing objectively wrong with them.

Living with consumption stigma

When people feel judged for what they consume, or choose not to consume, the effects can be mentally exhausting. Feeling stigmatized can quietly erode self-esteem, increase anxiety and change how people behave in everyday settings. What starts as a small moment of embarrassment can grow into a persistent concern about being seen the “wrong” way.

In reviewing 50 studies about stigma in marketing, we found that people respond to consumption stigma along a continuum. Some try to avoid stigma altogether by hiding their consumption or staying away from certain products. Others adjust their behavior to reduce the risk of being judged. At the far end of the spectrum, some people actively push back, helping to destigmatize certain forms of consumption for themselves and for others.

The research we reviewed found that to avoid stigma, people may deliberately consume more expensive or socially approved alternatives, even when those choices strain their finances. Imagine someone who switches to a premium chocolate brand at the office, not because she prefers the taste, but because she wants to avoid feeling embarrassed.

Over time, this kind of adjustment could pull people into spending patterns that are beyond their means, feeding a cycle of consumption driven more by social pressure than genuine need or enjoyment. We suggest that the ramifications can be even more stark in other contexts – for example, when a child skips a free school lunch to avoid being teased, or when a veteran turns down mental health support because they fear being judged by others.

From a business perspective, when consumers avoid or abandon products to escape stigma, companies may see declining demand that has little to do with quality or value. We suggest that if consumption stigma spreads at scale, the cumulative effect can translate into lost revenue and weakened brand value.

Understanding consumption stigma, then, isn’t just about consumer well-being; it’s also critical for businesses trying to understand why people buy, hide or walk away from certain products.

Take back the narrative

Stigma often feels powerful because it masquerades as reality. But at its core, consumption stigma is a social judgment, a shared story people tell about what certain choices supposedly say about someone. When that story goes unchallenged, stigma sticks. When it’s questioned, its power starts to fade.

One way people reduce stigma is by reclaiming the narrative around their consumption. Instead of hiding, explaining or compensating, they openly own their choices. This shift from avoidance to acceptance can strip stigma of its force.

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Imagine a shopper who embraces buying cheaper store brands at the grocery store, seeing it not as a compromise but as a sign of being savvy to pay less for the same thing. When people wear their choices like armor, whether it’s cheap chocolate, secondhand clothing or specialized physical or mental health services, those choices lose their sting. When a behavior is no longer treated as something shameful, it becomes harder for others to use it as a basis for judging or looking down on people.

Of course, stigma doesn’t disappear overnight. But research shows that when enough people stop treating a behavior as something to hide, the social meaning around it begins to change. What feels embarrassing in one moment can become normalized in the next. For example, research on fashion consumption has shown how wearing a veil, once widely stigmatized in urban and secular settings, gradually became seen as ordinary and even fashionable as more women openly adopted it.

Enjoying cheap chocolate shouldn’t require justification. Cold water tastes just as good out of an unbranded travel mug as it does from a Stanley tumbler. A generic sweatshirt keeps you just as cozy as Aritzia. And yet, many people feel the need to explain, deflect or upgrade their choices to avoid being judged. Understanding consumption stigma helps explain why and underscores that these feelings aren’t personal failures, but social constructions.

Sometimes, the most effective response isn’t to consume differently, but to think differently. When people stop treating everyday choices as moral signals, they make room for a more humane – and hopefully honest – marketplace.

Siti Nuraisyah Suwanda, Doctoral Student and Graduate Researcher in Marketing, West Virginia University; Emily Tanner, Associate Professor of Marketing, West Virginia University, and M. Paula Fitzgerald, Professor of Business Administration, West Virginia University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Chiquita says it has reached a major scientific milestone in banana innovation: the completion of the Yelloway banana pan-genome—an advanced genetic “map” designed to help researchers and breeders develop banana varieties that can better withstand disease and adapt to climate pressures.

Announced Feb. 10, 2026, the breakthrough is positioned as a foundational tool for the global banana industry at a moment when two major threats—Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4) and Black Sigatoka—continue to strain growers and supply chains worldwide.

What the “banana pan-genome” actually means

In simple terms, a pan-genome goes beyond a single reference genome. Instead of looking at one “standard” genetic blueprint, it captures a broader range of naturally occurring genetic variation across bananas. Chiquita says this wider view allows for more precise research, supports biodiversity preservation, and strengthens long-term breeding programs.

The pan-genome focuses on Musa acuminata, the species behind widely known banana varieties such as Gros Michel and Cavendish—names that matter because they represent the kinds of bananas consumers recognize and buy every day.

Yelloway: the partnership behind the research

The pan-genome was developed through Yelloway B.V., an innovation joint venture between Chiquita and agricultural technology company KeyGene. According to the announcement, Yelloway was created to unlock banana genetic diversity and advance classical breeding using advanced genomic tools.

Chiquita said the pan-genome was developed using Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology, and that the effort included collaboration across the banana value chain. One notable partner: Innocent Drinks, which provided match funding through its Farmer Innovation Fund.

Why this matters now: TR4 and Black Sigatoka

The timing is not accidental. TR4—often described as one of the most serious disease threats to bananas—continues to spread globally. Meanwhile, Black Sigatoka is driving more than $100 million in annual protective costs, according to the release.

Chiquita’s message is clear: if breeders can identify resilient genetic traits faster and with more accuracy, the industry can move from broad genetic exploration to targeted breeding decisions—potentially accelerating the development of bananas that are more disease-resistant, more climate-resilient, and still aligned with what consumers expect from the fruit aisle.

Researchers compare it to upgrading from highways to GPS

Professor Gert Kema, a Yelloway board member and emeritus professor of phytopathology at Wageningen University, described the pan-genome as a high-resolution guide to banana genetics.

He compared earlier genetic tools to driving “mainly on highways,” enough to reach major destinations—but not enough to navigate the full landscape. The pan-genome, he said, provides the “GPS coordinates” needed to explore the entire genomic terrain in detail.

Fernando Garcia-Bastidas, Head of the Yelloway Banana Breeding Program, emphasized the practical impact: the pan-genome helps researchers analyze, select, and deploy the most relevant genetic material—speeding up the development of improved banana varieties resistant to major threats like TR4 and Black Sigatoka.

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Chiquita Sustainability Director Peter Stedman added that the work is meant to extend beyond one company, pointing to collaboration across the supply chain as a key driver of progress.

Spotlight at Fruit Logistica in Berlin

Chiquita also shared insights from the project at Fruit Logistica in Berlin, where Stedman participated in the event’s Sustainability Panel. The company highlighted science-based innovation and cross-industry collaboration as essential for building a more resilient banana supply chain.

Opening access to researchers

In a move aimed at broader industry impact, Yelloway plans to provide academic researchers access to the banana pan-genome through a dedicated web portal—supporting continued collaboration and advancement in banana research and breeding.

What to Watch For

• Research access: When Yelloway’s web portal goes live and how widely academic teams use the pan-genome.
• Breeding timeline: Early signals on how quickly the tool translates into new varieties with stronger resistance to TR4 and Black Sigatoka.
• Field performance: Whether future banana candidates hold up in real-world growing conditions while maintaining taste, texture, and shelf-life.
• Supply chain collaboration: More cross-industry funding and partnerships (like Innocent Drinks’ Farmer Innovation Fund support) that speed adoption.
• Cost impact: Any reduction over time in the high annual protective costs tied to Black Sigatoka management.

About Chiquita

Chiquita is a global produce company operating across nearly 70 countries and has produced bananas for more than 150 years. The company says its sustainability work is guided by its “Behind the Blue Sticker” initiative, and it recently received recognition including being named one of America’s Most Loved Brands by Newsweek and a 2025 Good Housekeeping Snack Award winner.

For the banana industry—and for consumers who rely on the Cavendish as a grocery-store staple—the completion of the Yelloway banana pan-genome signals a push toward a more resilient future, where science and collaboration could help keep bananas on shelves despite escalating disease and climate challenges.

Source: Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (PRNewswire), Feb. 10, 2026

If you want, I can also format this for STM Daily News with: 5 SEO headline options, a meta description, suggested tags, and a short “What to Watch For” box for the end of the post.

Related Links (Further Information)

• PRNewswire (Press Release Distribution) – The distribution platform where Chiquita’s announcement was published.
• Chiquita Brands International – Company background, sustainability initiatives, and brand updates.
• KeyGene – The plant breeding and genomics partner in the Yelloway innovation joint venture.
• Oxford Nanopore Technologies – Information on the sequencing technology referenced in the announcement.
• Fruit Logistica (Berlin) – Event details and sustainability programming referenced in the release.

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For more Food & Beverage coverage—industry innovation, supply chain updates, and the stories shaping what ends up on our plates—visit STM Daily News – Food & Beverage . We’re tracking the headlines and the “what it means” so you can stay current without the fluff.

What Are Comfort Foods—and Why Do We Crave Them?

What Defines Comfort Food?

• Familiar and nostalgic – Foods tied to childhood or family traditions
• Warm and filling – Soups, casseroles, stews, and baked dishes
• Emotionally satisfying – Comforting beyond physical hunger
• Rich in carbohydrates or fats – Which can influence mood-regulating chemicals in the brain

The Science Behind Comfort Foods

Comfort Foods Are Cultural

• United States: Mac and cheese, meatloaf, mashed potatoes
• Mexico: Tamales, pozole
• Italy: Pasta, lasagna
• Japan: Ramen, curry rice
• India: Dal with rice

Why We Turn to Comfort Foods

• Stress or anxiety
• Illness or fatigue
• Homesickness
• Major life changes
• Celebrations and family gatherings

More Than a Meal

Related Reading

• Why We Crave Comfort Foods – Smithsonian Magazine
• Why Comfort Foods Comfort – Psychology Today
• Why Comfort Foods Make Us Feel Better – Harvard Health
• Comfort Food and Cultural Identity – National Geographic
• The Science Behind Comfort Foods – BBC Future