It seems that people like enticements. Take the shimmering lures at make-up counters, where if you buy enough of one brand’s products, you’re promised a “gift”.
Of course, these deals rarely look so good on closer inspection. Buying one and getting one free, for example, often applies to goods where buying large quantities is impractical. And I don’t really want another make-up bag full of travel-sized cosmetics, even if not boosting my spending just a bit to get that freebie seems like a waste.
So what happens when you incentivise patients to do what is “best” for their health – lose weight, stop smoking, eat more vegetables? Over the past few years, the catalogue of research on health-related incentives has thickened.
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Margaret McCartney
Clive Cookson
Andrew Jack