Does atypical packaging design enhance the appeal of healthy food? Evidence from multiple experiments

In healthy food packaging design, enterprises have always emphasized typical visual appearance to help consumers rapidly recognize and appreciate the health benefits. However, this approach has reinforced the perception that healthy food is less tasty, affecting sales. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have yet explored how to use atypical visual appearance to increase purchase intention. Based on self-determination theory, this study explored the impact of visual appearance of healthy food packaging (typical vs. atypical) on purchase intention, as well as its mechanism and boundary, through four lab experiments. The results indicated that atypical visual appearance of healthy food packaging increased consumers’ purchase intention, with self-enhancement playing a mediating role. Moreover, we explored important boundary mechanisms: self-concept clarity and persuasive message type. These findings enriched the literature about effects of visual appearance in food packaging field, while also offered insights for optimizing healthy food packaging marketing strategies.