The most essential function of food packaging is to keep the foods & beverages safe and contamination-free, from the factory until it reaches the end consumers. And yes, it also provides an opportunity for the companies to list the products’ advantages and convey their message to the consumers as to why their product is so special and why they should buy it. Good food packaging makes the brand recognizable.
First impression is the last impression – meaning the more aesthetic-appearing food packaging, it’s more likely that the customers will purchase your products. The design of packaging also plays an important role in influencing consumers. Extensive research has been done by food and flavour manufacturers as to how the taste of a product gets altered through shape, colour or sound of the packaging. The results have suggested that a particular sound created while opening the can of a particular drink is liked by many and the yellow shade on 7Up can make the consumers perceive soda very lemony.
Another example of the influence of food packaging is that in 2011, unlike their usual red coloured can, Coke introduced a white can in order to collect funds for Polar bears protection. Within a few weeks, Coke had to withdraw the white canned Coke because consumers started complaining that with the change in the colour of can. Coke has also changed its delicious secret formula, and that consumers are not liking this new taste. This example shows the power of packaging and how it alters the flavour perception of consumers. Research shows that the usual red colour of Coke is linked with sweetness. Another experiment was carried out where the customers perceived the salty popcorn to be tasting sweet because it was being served in a red coloured bowl.
The results of these experiments suggest that food manufacturers & designers need to focus also on aesthetic-appearing packaging if they want to make their food taste delicious. We can never be 100% sure how a particular colour or pattern of packaging affects consumer’s senses, but links connecting the products’ taste and packaging should never be underestimated or ignored. We also would never know that consumers tend to do this intentionally or unintentionally, but again the truth is that outside appearance of a product persuades consumers to purchase a product and enhances their taste perception.
So, the products manufacturers and designers should always be aware of this relationship and how it affects consumers’ psychology.
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