Preference for green packaging in consumer product choices – Do consumers care?

In this paper, consumer environmental choice is studied by analysing the relative importance of green packaging when compared with other relevant product attributes. The empirical study is based on a choice‐based conjoint analysis of preferences for functional drink products of a sample of 330 consumers using these products. Our choice‐based approach on environmental behaviour brings new insights to previous research, which predominantly relies on attitude models. Results indicate that consumers differ in their preferences for packaging, brand, price and convenience of use of daily products. In addition, various distinctive consumer segments can be identified on the market. Contrary to several previous studies, we found that the largest consumer segment, one‐third of consumers, favoured environmentally labelled packaging as the most important criteria in their choice. The findings emphasize the increasing importance of ethical and environmental dimension in product choices. We also propose that the attention in environmental consumer research should be shifted from general attitude studies towards the study of actual product choices.     

Nutritional labelling information: Utilisation of new technologies

Abstract

The increase in food-related diseases in society has led to a variety of public policy and private sector initiatives, such as the use of nutritional labels. Although nutritional labels have been shown to be broadly effective in terms of informing food choice, their influence is moderated by a variety of factors, such as how information is conveyed and processed by consumers. Recent advances in technology might overcome these limitations. Using a choice experiment, this paper examines consumer preferences for alternative technological devices that may aid consumer processing of nutritional information on food packaging. The results show which attributes of the technology consumers prefer, and identifies three distinct segments of consumers (‘information hungry innovators’, ‘active label readers’, and ‘onlookers’), and differences between them in relation to their preferences, demographics, and psychographic characteristics. The identification of segments is a novel aspect of this research, and highlights the importance of finding more customised solutions to the communication of nutritional information – an issue to which technology can contribute.     

Does Processing Level Affect Vegetable Region of Production Certification Preferences?

While a number of U.S. agricultural industries have implemented a region of production (ROP) certification, little research has focused on ROP valuation associated with both whole and processed forms of a food product. Understanding consumer preferences toward certified products sold in multiple forms is critical to the success of a new certification program in an industry that sells products at multiple levels of processing. This study examines preferences for a possible ROP-certified vegetable across two product forms: fresh and processed. Discrete choice analysis was conducted using data collected from an online panel survey of 553 U.S. food consumers. A chile pepper product’s ROP was deemed important by participants, although the ROP certifier appears to matter less than other potential certifications (e.g., safety, quality). Differences in the importance of ROP between product forms suggest a single certification can have disparate effects on consumer preferences for different forms of a ROP-certified vegetable.     

Product Packaging Metaphors: Effects of Ambiguity and Explanatory Information on Consumer Appreciation and Brand Perception

Product packaging is an important means for communicating product and brand benefits. Research suggests that visual metaphors may be particularly suited in this context, however, the conditions under which metaphors are effective are not yet well understood. In the research reported herein, effects of metaphor ambiguity and explanatory information on consumer appreciation and brand personality perceptions are tested. Study 1 shows that explicit information explaining the metaphor increases consumer appreciation and positively affects brand perception, but only for ambiguous metaphors. Study 2 shows that drawing consumer attention to packaging design by means of a visual packaging cue may be equally or even more effective for enhancing consumer appreciation and steering brand personality perceptions. In addition, Study 2 shows that effects of explanatory information and information type vary with participants’ readiness to engage in metaphor processing. Together, the results provide greater insight into the effects of metaphors in product design and provide guidelines to packaging designers.     

Decision Making by Low‐Literacy Consumers in the Presence of Point‐of‐Purchase Information

Low‐literacy consumers face disadvantages when making product choices. This article presents the results of two studies designed to explore differences in decision‐making behavior across consumer literacy levels, focusing on consumers’ ability to evaluate information in print ads and product packaging. The authors demonstrate that the presence of a visual decision aid at the point of purchase can improve choice for low‐literacy consumers.     

Consumers' perceptions of food packaging: an exploratory investigation in Potchefstroom,South Africa

Consumers form perceptions of various food products through their comprehension of the visual stimuli on food packaging that attract their attention. These perceptions directly affect their purchasing decision at the point of purchase, which emphasizes the importance of attention‐capturing packaging attributes. However, little research is available regarding consumers' perceptions of food packaging, especially in the South African context. This study aimed to explore a sample of South African consumers' perceptions of food packaging and how these perceptions were formed through the perceptual process. A qualitative, exploratory study was conducted by means of 25 semi‐structured interviews and through the use of ambiguous mock packaging as a projective technique. Participants were questioned regarding their general perceptions of food packaging. The attention‐capturing ability of packaging as well as consumers' interpretation of this packaging after exposure to the mock packaging was also discussed. Findings from the study indicated that participants mainly based their perception of food packaging on its functional (being purposive, recyclable and informative) and physical attributes (being attractive, of high quality and hygienic). This study also indicated that information and visual attributes of packaging are important to gain consumers' attention in‐store. Participants' comprehension of packaging included general associations of specific food products with certain types of packaging, such as associations with quality and shelf life. Negative associations with packaging mostly entailed difficulty to handle the product, poor quality of the product and environmental problems. This study identifies those product attributes that participants regarded as the most important stimuli for forming positive perceptions regarding food packaging. It is important for manufacturers to pay attention to the information on perceptions that was gained in this study, as it might help them to create packaging that better fulfil consumer needs. These findings could also be applied in a larger study of a quantitative nature, which will ultimately result in more positive consumer shopping experiences and consumer satisfaction regarding food packaging.     

Information Asymmetry in Consumer Perceptions of Quality‐Differentiated Food Products

Increasing consumer demand for quality‐differentiated food products has given rise to a large quantity of food product classifications related to production practices and locations. Some food product claims such as native have no clear definitions and may have ambiguous connotations for different consumers. We analyze whether asymmetry in information affects consumer preferences and willingness to pay for ambiguous claims using the native attribute. An empirical application of pecans is used in the analysis to compare native and improved pecan varieties. With no evidence in the literature of additional benefits of native varieties, the results showed that consumers preferred native varieties. Furthermore tastes and preferences for all product attributes were heterogeneous; heterogeneity in preference for the native attribute was only significant at the 10% level.     

Consumer Preference and Willingness to Pay for a Local Label Attribute in Western Australian Fresh and Processed Food Products

This study investigates Western Australia’s consumer attitudes toward and preferences for locally produced food products signified by a state-funded campaign logo, Buy West Eat Best (BWEB). A choice experiment using both a fresh and a processed food product (skinless chicken breast and fruit yogurt) is conducted to assess willingness to pay for a local production attribute and other label claims. We find that consumer awareness and preference for local foods is high. However, this high preference is not because the product is locally produced but because of the local attributes associated with high-quality products. The study highlights the importance of successfully differentiating products through credible labeling schemes in order to capture market premium.     

Situational effects on brand preferences for image products

The purpose of the study was to provide evidence for the influence of situational variables on consumer preferences toward the image product of men's fragrances, and to illustrate how these situational variables can be used to create positioning strategies. In a 3 × 3 experimental design, male and female subjects provided purchasing preference ratings for, and rated each cologne on, a number of scales related to price, brand image and packaging, scent, and inferred characteristics of the typical consumer. ANOVAs and a constrained unfolding analysis using GENFOLD2 were used to analyze the data. The analyses revealed that subjects' preferences were influenced by the purchasing target (self or others), and suggested that people's preferences may be mediated by person prototypes and situation prototypes. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Consumers’ perception of food packaging in Trinidad,West Indies and its related impact on food choices

The purpose of the study was to investigate consumers’ perception of food packaging and its impact on food choices. The study population comprised 82 people who were ultimately consumers of packaged food products. The sample was drawn from six major supermarkets located in different geographical areas in Trinidad, West Indies. Data collection was carried out by using a questionnaire based on five topics: visual impact or attractiveness of the packaging; type of packaging material; labelling and nutritional information; new products; and fruit preserves. The packaging feature that influenced most of the respondents’ choice of products was information on the label (41.5%); it was followed by quality and type of packaging (24.4%), brand name/popularity (22.0%) and visual impact (12.2%). When asked if they would purchase a product that was most attractively packaged, 85.4% responded in the affirmative. Most respondents (92.7%) believed that packaging material could adversely affect the quality of performance of a food product. Also, 92.7% of respondents agreed that nutrition information should be shown on all food products, although 36.6% admitted that they do not read the label because of its complexity. Influence of gender was not significant (P < 0.05) on consumer perception of food packaging and on food choices. Although the sample was small, the data highlighted the need to educate consumers of packaged foods, so that informed decisions could be taken in respect to food quality, safety and nutrition.     

Perceptions of older consumers regarding food packaging as a prerequisite for its improvement: A case study of Polish market

In many societies, the scale of demographic change associated with increased longevity has the potential to influence the market for consumer goods. As a result, continuous improvement in packaging design that takes into account the needs of older people should become an important challenge for both packaging producers and product manufacturers. Due to the fact that there is limited research concerning the design of food packaging for older people, the aim of the study was to identify the expectations of this group of consumers in this respect. Milk packaging was selected as a model subject of study. Factors influencing older consumers and their buying patterns when purchasing milk have been thoroughly examined. The research was conducted among people over the age of 60 with the use of three methods: a questionnaire (600 subjects), an in‐depth interview (60 subjects) and eye tracking (30 subjects). The results of the study show that older consumers have specific preferences regarding packaging type and design. When considering milk packaging, for example, they prefer glass bottles, simple graphics and font and subdued colours. They most frequently look for information concerning the product's expiration date, its producer's name and its composition. Eye tracking revealed that the older the consumers are, the more problems with finding expiration date they have. The time required to find such information, however, strongly depends on where exactly the expiration date is printed on the packaging. The preferred place in this case is the top of the bottle. Older consumers identify product's brand with the name of the producer. Moreover, the absence of the term ‘ingredients’: on the milk packaging oftentimes causes confusion among older people, who are concerned about potential food additive content.     

Thinking outside the bottle: Effects of alternative wine packaging

Packaging communicates intrinsic product attributes to consumers, which can influence consumer response and decision-making; however, little is known about the impact of non-traditional packaging formats. The current research aims to bridge this gap. Across five studies, we demonstrate that non-traditional packaging negatively influenced purchase intention of a complex product, wine, through product appeal and taste perceptions (Study 1A)/expectations (Studies 1B–4). We also demonstrate that the consumer response to non-traditional packaging is a function of individual differences (desire for unique products) and label attributes (eco-friendly labels).     

Different Effects of Utilitarian and Hedonic Benefits of Retail Food Packaging on Perceived Product Quality and Purchase Intention

Since consumers primarily make in-store purchase decisions, firms use product packaging to attract potential consumers. Ever-increasing market competition in many food product industries has further fueled this phenomenon in firms. However, the question of how retail food packaging affects consumer processes has received very little attention. This study investigates the benefits of food packaging on consumer responses to hedonic products by comparing different benefits (i.e., utilitarian and hedonic) of food packaging to understand which one has more impact on consumers’ perceived quality and purchase intention. The results show that both utilitarian and hedonic benefits of retail food packaging are critical predictors of consumer evaluations but play different important roles in determining customers’ reactions. Utilitarian benefits of food packaging impact perceived quality more than hedonic benefits do. Compared to utilitarian benefits, hedonic benefits of retail food packaging have more impact on consumer purchase intention.     

Tradeoffs Between Price and Quality: How a Value Index Affects

The present research examines how the availability of information about the value of a product, expressed as a ratio of the quality received per dollar, influences preference formation. This index, similar to unit price which provides information about how much quantity is received per dollar, presents consumers with information regarding the quality received per dollar. An experiment that compares consumers' preferences inferred from a choice task with their preferences inferred from a conjoint task was conducted. In the choice task consumers selected the most attractive alternative from a set of options, while in the conjoint task the attractiveness of each option was rated. Consumers, presented with an index of quality received per dollar paid (the value index), are more likely to choose a lower priced, higher value option rather than a higher priced, higher quality option compared to consumers presented with only price and quality information. Clearly, how a consumer chooses to “get the best for his or her money” depends on the ease with which information about the choices can be processed.     

Consumer perceptions of carbon labeling in print advertising: Hype or effective communication strategy?

Eco-labels are being used more frequently in the marketplace. Recently, carbon-neutral labels have emerged on product packaging and advertisements as a popular form of eco-label. How consumers view these specific labels is of both conceptual and practical interest. Therefore, in a mixed-experimental design building on congruity theory and Deighton's two-step model of advertising effectiveness, the authors examine how consumers view the credibility and environmental concern of companies who use these labels, as well as their resulting purchase intentions. A 2(product) × 2(label) × 3(information) mixed design was used to examine consumer perceptions and behavior intentions. Product category (environmentally neutral vs. environmentally harmful) was a within-subjects factor; the presence/absence of the carbon-neutral label and information (positive/negative/control) was both manipulated between-subjects factors. Results show that the presence of a carbon-neutral label in an advertisement, regardless of the type of product, leads to more favorable perceptions of company environmental concern. However, there is a more pronounced increase in consumer perceptions of company environmental concern for an environmentally harmful product than for an environmentally neutral product.     

Effects of au naturel packaging colors on willingness to pay for healthy food

This study introduces and defines a novel color family—au naturel colors—and proposes that featuring these hues on product packaging enhances consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for healthy food products, but not for unhealthy food products. This effect occurs irrespective of the fit between the colors of the product and of the packaging, and of the color lightness or saturation. Perceptions of product authenticity mediate the relationship between au naturel colors packaging and consumer WTP for the product. The results of seven studies provide support for the proposed conceptual framework, contributing to the literature on consumer responses to colors and packaging features, and allowing to draw implications for the marketing of healthy food products.     

Optimal retail sales strategies for old and new products in monopoly and horizontal competition scenarios

Advances in technology have made product updates more frequent and allowed consumers to choose different versions of the same product based on their preferences. It is crucial for retailers to understand how to formulate optimal sales strategies based on those different consumer preferences. To this end, we develop game models that consider the heterogeneity of consumer preferences under both monopoly and horizontal competition scenarios and perform the sensitivity analysis to examine the impact of consumer proportions and consumer preferences on retailers’ sales strategies. The results show that (i) regardless of competition or monopoly status, the original retailer can always maximize profit by setting prices based on the market share of traditional consumers, as long as the retailer sells both new and old versions of the product; (ii) the greater the competitive advantage of the competitor, the more advantageous the hybrid sales mode; (iii) if the price of the old product is below a certain threshold, there will be a positive profit for the original retailer when selling both the old and new products; and (iv) when consumer acceptance of competing retailers is lower, entering the retail market is not a good choice for competing retailers.     

Influences of visual attributes of food packaging on consumer preference and associations with taste and healthiness

Two experiments designed to investigate how the shape and colour of packaging, and product category, conjointly impact consumers’ product and packaging expectations are reported. In Experiment 1, the shape (rounded vs. angular) and visual appearance (greyscale, red‐to‐yellow and blue‐to‐green colour schemes) of the packaging were manipulated. Dependent measures were preference (willingness to purchase the product, how attention‐capturing the packaging is, and the pleasantness of the design) and any taste associations. In Experiment 2, shape (rounded vs. angular), colour (red‐to‐yellow vs. blue‐to‐green colour schemes), and product category (buttery vs. cereal cookies) were manipulated. In this case, the dependent measures were the perceived product healthiness and the preference of consumers. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that packaging colour influenced product preference. Red‐to‐yellow and blue‐to‐green colour schemes and angular packaging were preferred over greyscale and round packaging. Colour also influenced taste associations, while shape only influenced ratings of expected sweetness. In Experiment 2, packaging shape and product category influenced product preference. In particular, rounded packaging and the packaging of buttery cookies were preferred over angular packaging and the cereal cookies packaging. The healthiness of the product was rated higher for the rounded and red‐to‐yellow packaging containing a buttery product. Taken together, these results highlight the important role played by colour, shape, and category on the expectations and associations elicited by viewing product packaging.     

How e-WOM recommendations influence product consideration and quality of choice: A motivation to process information perspective

A laboratory experiment examines the effects of electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) on consumer consideration and choice of an experience product. Specifically, we manipulated the number of consumer recommendations and the optimality of the recommended product in a realistic online shopping environment. The results indicate that e-WOM is likely to result in more time considering the recommended product. For consumers more motivated to process information, e-WOM recommendations lead to more time spent on the choice task overall. Further, consumers with less motivation to process information make suboptimal decisions based on e-WOM recommendations. Consumers with a high motivation to process information are willing to accept recommendations and switch from declared attribute preferences, but choose only optimal products.