For generic brand products, simplicity does not sell; however, for most other food offerings, minimalist packaging tends to increase the item’s perceived purity, show the findings of a Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University study, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Researcher Lan Anh N. Ton, an assistant professor of marketing at the university, and his two co-authors, found that when consumers see understated food packaging with fewer colors, plain and neutral boxes, and less text, it leads them to make judgments about the product’s quality.
“[Consumers] infer that the product inside contains few ingredients. That, in turn, leads them to assume the product is more pure than similar products in busier packaging and worth paying a premium for,” according to the article.
On the other hand, when consumers are looking to purchase generic store brands, packaging with bright colors, elaborate fonts, and bold shapes tends to resonate more with consumers, according to the study.
Part of the research was conducted by evaluating Kroger’s generic brand offerings by packaging complexity and then comparing it to its price and performance.
“Consumers want to pay less for simply designed store-brand products, which aligns with what they think about generic products—that they are low quality, and that the company doesn’t invest in pure ingredients,” Ton said. By contrast, “they are willing to spend more on store-brand products presented in more-complex packaging because that signals to the consumer that the store has invested more in the product.”
The study revealed an additional caveat: when searching out name-brand junk food, complex packaging was also highly valued. Full Story (Subscription Required)
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