Consumers’ preferences for visual elements on chocolate packaging

Abstract

Marketing activities are geared towards consumption increase in order to gain profit. Understanding the logic of consumer behaviour can significantly contribute to successfully achieving this goal. Many researches point out the fact that impulsive buying is most common, and in those cases packaging design has a significant impact. Consumers will connect the package quality with the product itself, so if a packaging conveys the feeling of low-quality consumers will perceive it as if the product is of low quality as well, even if that is not the case (Underwood et al, 2001). Presentation of higher quality, product improvement, enhancing visual impact on customers, specific presentation of the brand, improvement of the relationship between the brand and consumer all can contribute to competitive advantage (Ahmad, A. & Ahmad, Q., 2015). Purchase decision also depends on socio-demographic characteristics of consumers, price and quality of the product, type of packaging, labels and brands (Aday & Ugur, 2014). However, the ability of packaging design to attract and keep consumers’ attention is directly linked with a positive opinion of the product (Schormanns & Robben, 1997). Attractive packaging of a product at the point of sale will help consumers make decisions in the store quickly (Silayoi & Speece, 2004). Therefore, understanding the way of how consumers perceive and evaluate packaging during the purchase decision phase can give guidelines for design and communication strategies. Silayoi & Speence (2007) define two categories of elements which potentially have an impact on the purchase decision: visual and informative. Visual elements include graphics, typography, colour, size and shape of the packaging, while the informative elements refer to the information and technology that was used to produce the packaging. Information and visual elements have the most important role in the purchase decision phase in comparison with other phases.