Understanding copycat packaging: a systematic review and research directions

Abstract

Purpose

The literature on copycat packaging has developed intermittently over a 30-year period, resulting in a divergent and fragmented body of knowledge. This paper aims to synthesise the extant literature to highlight the main developments in the marketing, legal and design fields and, in doing so, contributes to a holistic understanding of the research area and suggests directions for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature search retrieved 5,862 articles, and after filtering against explicit criteria, 49 studies were reviewed. These articles were subsequently evaluated and interpreted, producing a synthesis of current research.

Findings

The constructs of copycat packaging, including similarity-related concepts, consequences of copycat packaging and mitigating approaches, have been reported across three disciplines of marketing, legal and design, each having its own distinct focus but nonetheless sharing overlapping themes.

Research limitations/implications

This review discusses future directions and proposes a framework of research themes relating to brand enhancement for online purchasing, measurement of brand confusion, reinforcing design features and approaches to mitigating copycat practices.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first systematic review of the literature on copycat packaging. It brings together the latest thinking on copycat packaging and identifies distinct research issues to be addressed in future studies.