At an on-campus taste test, research participants who used a cute scoop designed to look like a smiling adult female served themselves about 30pc more ice cream than those who used a plain scoop, say Gergana Y. Nenkov of Boston College and Maura L.

Scott of Florida State University. This and other experiments demonstrate that exposure to cute, whimsical images increases consumers’ indulgent consumption, as long as the particular form of cuteness doesn’t stimulate thoughts of babies; past research has shown that images of babies prompt careful, caretaking behaviour.

(Source: Journal of Consumer Research)