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Consumer response to sustainable packaging design
- Marketing and Consumer Behaviour
Research output : Thesis › internal PhD, WU
The design of more sustainable packaging is an important step towards reducing packaging’s environmental impacts. Packaging however is also the ‘silent salesman’ that provides many cues which consumers may use to make inferences about the packaged product’s expected benefits. Successful sustainable packaging should not only be environment-friendlier, but should also be an attractive option for consumers. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine how functional and aesthetical aspects of sustainable packaging design affect consumer purchase-related behaviors through inference-making processes. Chapter 1 provides the background of the thesis and describes the overarching theoretical framework. Chapter 2 presents an initial empirical test of consumer cue perception and inference-making processes by using a methodology of idiosyncratic attribute elicitation to analyse consumer response to a series of tomato soup packaging designs. The findings show that (packaging) sustainability is a highly salient association (second to convenience-related perceptions), but is only moderately important for consumer attitudes. Moreover, packaging sustainability cues inform further inference-making regarding a variety of consumer benefits such as product sustainability, price, healthiness, quality and (expected) taste. Results also show a large gap between consumer perception of packaging sustainability and experts’ life-cycle analysis outcomes. Chapter 3 examines how packaging can be actively redesigned to be more sustainable. It considers the extent to which three different sustainable redesign strategies (based on circular economy design literature) affect consumer purchase intentions, moral satisfaction, willingness-to-pay and benefit inferences. The results showed that consumers tend to prefer circular over linear strategies, and biologically circular over technically circular ones. Additionally, applying combinations of such redesign strategies leads to diminished increases in perceived sustainability, and consumers derive little additional moral satisfaction from more intensively redesigned packaging. Chapter 4 focusses on the influence of packaging sustainability in conjunction with product contents sustainability and different firm sustainability (advertisement) claims. Findings showed that consumers are more likely to infer deceptive firm intentions when firms provide environmental claims for packaged products that are only partially sustainable. For such products, consumers make both positive and negative inferences such that they positively value the improved environmental impacts, yet at the same time negatively value the deceitful actions of the firm. The usage of advertisement puffery has both pros and cons such that it strengthens both the positives and negatives. Furthermore, drawing from centrality theories, the results also suggest that consumers tend to be more critical when only a peripheral attribute (packaging) is made sustainable versus when only a central attribute (product contents) is sustainable. Chapter 5 examines the mental associations between sustainability low strength/high gentleness benefits. The chapter investigates how overtly sustainable (vs. conventional) laundry detergent packaging affects consumer choices, depending on consumers’ intended laundry usage (strength vs. gentleness emphasis). Results show that the sustainable option is disadvantaged in consumer choices when consumers seek strength, and is preferred when they seek gentleness benefits. The perceived strength deficiency can (partially) be overcome by providing aesthetical masculinity signals through packaging design, and packaging that contains both sustainability and masculinity design cues is perceived relatively favourable in terms of perceived strength, gentleness and environment-friendliness. Lastly, Chapter 6 summarizes the main findings and discusses theoretical and practical implications. Overall, this thesis shows that (functional and aesthetical) sustainable packaging design does not merely change consumers’ (potentially inaccurate) view of that packaging’s environmental qualities, but causes consumers to make a range of inferences which affect packaged product choice. Successful sustainable packaging design should seek to reinforce those consumer inferences with positive effects and/or inhibit inferences with potential negative effects to ensure an overall attractive packaged product proposition.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Qualification | Doctor of Philosophy |
Awarding Institution | |
Supervisors/Advisors | , Promotor , Co-promotor , Co-promotor |
Award date | 5 Nov 2019 |
Place of Publication | Wageningen |
Publisher | |
Print ISBNs | 9789463951401 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 5 Nov 2019 |
This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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- 10.18174/501664
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- Consumer Affect Social Sciences 100%
- Green Packaging Economics, Econometrics and Finance 100%
- Consumer Attitude Psychology 100%
- Human Activities Effects Social Sciences 66%
- Advertising Social Sciences 66%
- Morality Social Sciences 66%
- Willingness-to-Pay Social Sciences 33%
- Consumer Perception Social Sciences 33%
Projects per year
Sustainable Packages
Steenis, N., van Trijp, H. , van Herpen, E. & van der Lans, I.
1/11/14 → 5/11/19
Project : PhD
- Consumer Affect 100%
- Green Packaging 100%
- Advertising 66%
- Human Activities Effects 66%
- Morality 66%
T1 - Consumer response to sustainable packaging design
AU - Steenis, Nigel Desmond
N1 - WU thesis 7363 Includes bibliographical references. - With summary in English
PY - 2019/11/5
Y1 - 2019/11/5
N2 - The design of more sustainable packaging is an important step towards reducing packaging’s environmental impacts. Packaging however is also the ‘silent salesman’ that provides many cues which consumers may use to make inferences about the packaged product’s expected benefits. Successful sustainable packaging should not only be environment-friendlier, but should also be an attractive option for consumers. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine how functional and aesthetical aspects of sustainable packaging design affect consumer purchase-related behaviors through inference-making processes. Chapter 1 provides the background of the thesis and describes the overarching theoretical framework. Chapter 2 presents an initial empirical test of consumer cue perception and inference-making processes by using a methodology of idiosyncratic attribute elicitation to analyse consumer response to a series of tomato soup packaging designs. The findings show that (packaging) sustainability is a highly salient association (second to convenience-related perceptions), but is only moderately important for consumer attitudes. Moreover, packaging sustainability cues inform further inference-making regarding a variety of consumer benefits such as product sustainability, price, healthiness, quality and (expected) taste. Results also show a large gap between consumer perception of packaging sustainability and experts’ life-cycle analysis outcomes. Chapter 3 examines how packaging can be actively redesigned to be more sustainable. It considers the extent to which three different sustainable redesign strategies (based on circular economy design literature) affect consumer purchase intentions, moral satisfaction, willingness-to-pay and benefit inferences. The results showed that consumers tend to prefer circular over linear strategies, and biologically circular over technically circular ones. Additionally, applying combinations of such redesign strategies leads to diminished increases in perceived sustainability, and consumers derive little additional moral satisfaction from more intensively redesigned packaging. Chapter 4 focusses on the influence of packaging sustainability in conjunction with product contents sustainability and different firm sustainability (advertisement) claims. Findings showed that consumers are more likely to infer deceptive firm intentions when firms provide environmental claims for packaged products that are only partially sustainable. For such products, consumers make both positive and negative inferences such that they positively value the improved environmental impacts, yet at the same time negatively value the deceitful actions of the firm. The usage of advertisement puffery has both pros and cons such that it strengthens both the positives and negatives. Furthermore, drawing from centrality theories, the results also suggest that consumers tend to be more critical when only a peripheral attribute (packaging) is made sustainable versus when only a central attribute (product contents) is sustainable. Chapter 5 examines the mental associations between sustainability low strength/high gentleness benefits. The chapter investigates how overtly sustainable (vs. conventional) laundry detergent packaging affects consumer choices, depending on consumers’ intended laundry usage (strength vs. gentleness emphasis). Results show that the sustainable option is disadvantaged in consumer choices when consumers seek strength, and is preferred when they seek gentleness benefits. The perceived strength deficiency can (partially) be overcome by providing aesthetical masculinity signals through packaging design, and packaging that contains both sustainability and masculinity design cues is perceived relatively favourable in terms of perceived strength, gentleness and environment-friendliness. Lastly, Chapter 6 summarizes the main findings and discusses theoretical and practical implications. Overall, this thesis shows that (functional and aesthetical) sustainable packaging design does not merely change consumers’ (potentially inaccurate) view of that packaging’s environmental qualities, but causes consumers to make a range of inferences which affect packaged product choice. Successful sustainable packaging design should seek to reinforce those consumer inferences with positive effects and/or inhibit inferences with potential negative effects to ensure an overall attractive packaged product proposition.
AB - The design of more sustainable packaging is an important step towards reducing packaging’s environmental impacts. Packaging however is also the ‘silent salesman’ that provides many cues which consumers may use to make inferences about the packaged product’s expected benefits. Successful sustainable packaging should not only be environment-friendlier, but should also be an attractive option for consumers. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine how functional and aesthetical aspects of sustainable packaging design affect consumer purchase-related behaviors through inference-making processes. Chapter 1 provides the background of the thesis and describes the overarching theoretical framework. Chapter 2 presents an initial empirical test of consumer cue perception and inference-making processes by using a methodology of idiosyncratic attribute elicitation to analyse consumer response to a series of tomato soup packaging designs. The findings show that (packaging) sustainability is a highly salient association (second to convenience-related perceptions), but is only moderately important for consumer attitudes. Moreover, packaging sustainability cues inform further inference-making regarding a variety of consumer benefits such as product sustainability, price, healthiness, quality and (expected) taste. Results also show a large gap between consumer perception of packaging sustainability and experts’ life-cycle analysis outcomes. Chapter 3 examines how packaging can be actively redesigned to be more sustainable. It considers the extent to which three different sustainable redesign strategies (based on circular economy design literature) affect consumer purchase intentions, moral satisfaction, willingness-to-pay and benefit inferences. The results showed that consumers tend to prefer circular over linear strategies, and biologically circular over technically circular ones. Additionally, applying combinations of such redesign strategies leads to diminished increases in perceived sustainability, and consumers derive little additional moral satisfaction from more intensively redesigned packaging. Chapter 4 focusses on the influence of packaging sustainability in conjunction with product contents sustainability and different firm sustainability (advertisement) claims. Findings showed that consumers are more likely to infer deceptive firm intentions when firms provide environmental claims for packaged products that are only partially sustainable. For such products, consumers make both positive and negative inferences such that they positively value the improved environmental impacts, yet at the same time negatively value the deceitful actions of the firm. The usage of advertisement puffery has both pros and cons such that it strengthens both the positives and negatives. Furthermore, drawing from centrality theories, the results also suggest that consumers tend to be more critical when only a peripheral attribute (packaging) is made sustainable versus when only a central attribute (product contents) is sustainable. Chapter 5 examines the mental associations between sustainability low strength/high gentleness benefits. The chapter investigates how overtly sustainable (vs. conventional) laundry detergent packaging affects consumer choices, depending on consumers’ intended laundry usage (strength vs. gentleness emphasis). Results show that the sustainable option is disadvantaged in consumer choices when consumers seek strength, and is preferred when they seek gentleness benefits. The perceived strength deficiency can (partially) be overcome by providing aesthetical masculinity signals through packaging design, and packaging that contains both sustainability and masculinity design cues is perceived relatively favourable in terms of perceived strength, gentleness and environment-friendliness. Lastly, Chapter 6 summarizes the main findings and discusses theoretical and practical implications. Overall, this thesis shows that (functional and aesthetical) sustainable packaging design does not merely change consumers’ (potentially inaccurate) view of that packaging’s environmental qualities, but causes consumers to make a range of inferences which affect packaged product choice. Successful sustainable packaging design should seek to reinforce those consumer inferences with positive effects and/or inhibit inferences with potential negative effects to ensure an overall attractive packaged product proposition.
UR - https://edepot.wur.nl/501664
U2 - 10.18174/501664
DO - 10.18174/501664
M3 - internal PhD, WU
SN - 9789463951401
PB - Wageningen University
CY - Wageningen
Sustainable packaging design and the consumer perspective: a systematic literature review
- Review Article
- Published: 07 November 2023
- Volume 2024 , pages 77–111, ( 2024 )
Cite this article
- Generoso Branca ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2481-8822 1 ,
- Riccardo Resciniti 2 &
- Barry J. Babin 3
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5 Citations
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Sustainable packaging is gaining increasing prominence as a factor in consumer decision-making. This research aims to review and synthesise the literature addressing sustainable attributes and eco-friendly cues of consumer goods packaging. A systematic literature review was performed: 52 scientific articles published between 2010 and 2020 in peer-reviewed academic journals were included. Furthermore, a bibliometric analysis for bibliographic coupling was conducted. The review identifies four main research themes: consumers’ knowledge and understanding of sustainable packaging; studies that investigate green packaging following a holistic approach; studies employing an analytical approach to identifying relevant package cues; and consumers’ attitudes and behaviours towards eco-friendly packaging. The research integrates and enriches previous reviews analysing the topic of sustainable packaging from a different perspective. In addition, it provides a classification and rationalisation of recent articles, which the literature still lacks, bringing out relevant insights and avenues for future research. Finally, the review details the analysis of attributes and cues from an analytical point of view. Companies and practitioners may exploit the insights of this research to arrive at a sustainable packaging design effective and appreciated by consumers.
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Branca, G., Resciniti, R. & Babin, B.J. Sustainable packaging design and the consumer perspective: a systematic literature review. Ital. J. Mark. 2024 , 77–111 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43039-023-00084-1
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2.2 Functions of Packaging. Concerning the functions of Packaging, they are categorized into three different levels (Cervera, 1998). The hierarchy starts with the primary Packaging or in other words the "consumer packaging" the aim of which is to protect the product and most of the times to come in contact with it.
Abstract. Ksenia Polyakova Packaging design as a Marketing tool and Desire to purchase, 72 pages, 2 appendices Saimaa University of Applied Science Faculty of Business Administration, Lappeenranta Degree Programme in International Business Bachelor's Thesis 2013 Instructor: Mr. Riku Hytönen Senior Lecturer, Saimaa University of Applied Sciences.
The proposed conceptual model for the influence of perceived packaging sustainability on consumers purchase intention. Complete lines illustrate the mediation effects. Dotted lines illustrate ...
1. Introduction. A typical supermarket carries more than 30,000 product lines (FMI 2019), and UK households on average purchase more than 4000 items of packaged goods, including grocery and non-grocery products, per year (Rundh, 2016).Industry analysts suggest that visual appeal of packaging design is vital in influencing customer decision-making at retail level (Deloitte, 2015).
Sustainable packaging is gaining increasing prominence as a factor in consumer decision-making. This research aims to review and synthesise the literature addressing sustainable attributes and eco-friendly cues of consumer goods packaging. A systematic literature review was performed: 52 scientific articles published between 2010 and 2020 in peer-reviewed academic journals were included ...
makers on the issue of packaging impacts especially regarding recyclability. Assessment tools for packaging were effective at addressing the harmful environmental and climate impacts of packaging. These tools helped to highlight sustainable packaging development and design solutions, in addition to better communicate these findings to the public.
The purpose of the thesis aims to research for understand-ings of packaging design and how to improve packaging for brand values. The goal of the thesis is to provide Angelluna's coffee & bakery insights, suggestions, and examples on choosing better packages to make the value of its baking products weigh better.
Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands. Abstract: This paper describes an empirical study to determine the influence of specific design elements of sustainable packaging on consumer behaviour during purchase and recycling. Existing studies show that the visual appearance of packaging design influences the behaviour of consumers.
This section reviews the areas of investigation within this thesis. These include packaging design, consumer research and how consumer research is applied within packaging design practice. Packaging design The packaging of a product serves a number of functions. It protects and houses the product during its life cycle.
This section focuses on reviewing the state-of-the-art research on packaging design within the context of circular economy. The results of this literature review are presented in 4.1 Material selection, 4.2 Conceptual design phase, 4.3 Design development phase, 4.4 Tools and indicators for design validation.
of packaging design is a recurring subject in the design literature analyzed. In this case, the packaging properties can be improved from several points of view , including functional,
The overall aim of this thesis is to examine how functional and aesthetical aspects of sustainable packaging design affect consumer purchase-related behaviors through inference-making processes. Chapter 1 provides the background of the thesis and describes the overarching theoretical framework. Chapter 2 presents an initial empirical test of ...
This research aims to review and synthesise the literature address-ing sustainable attributes and eco-friendly cues of consumer goods packaging. A systematic literature review was performed: 52 scientific articles published between 2010 and 2020 in peer-reviewed academic journals were included.
Abstract. Packaging plays an essential role in protecting a product from damage, attracting consumers to purchase a product, and facilitating storage and consumption. Yet its appreciation and value is quickly eroded once the product is purchased and/or consumed and the package becomes waste. With the passing of China's National Sword policy in ...
This dissertation was written as part of the MSc in Strategic Product Design at the International Hellenic University. The purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of innovative packaging for marketing purposes in cosmetics industry. The intention is also to understand the purpose of packaging as a marketing tool.
Bachelor thesis in Business Administration at the Section for Management, Blekinge Institute of Technology, spring 2013. Authors: Viktoria Alervall and Juan Sdiq Saied Supervisor: Urban Ljungquist. Title: Perspectives on the Elements of Packaging Design: A Qualitative Study on the Communication of Packaging.
This thesis sets an objective to study the potential of kraft paper packaging as a tool for FMCG companies to differentiate a product. The following research problem is stated: "How strong is the power of kraft paper packaging as a competitive advantage for FMCG?" The research questions to be answered in the result of this study are: RQ1.
Furthermore, packaging is one of the most crucial means of communication for a brand (Schifferstein et al., 2021).Testa et al. (2021) suggested that packaging had an impact on consumer purchasing decisions, according to past studies. It has been claimed that snack food packaging may evoke a positive response from potential consumers (Chitturi et al., 2022).
1.2.3 The Reading Glasses. The idea behindengaging Clas Ohlson's Packaging and Design subdivision in a business case study was to apply the design and development expertise of Semcon on a physical product in a client-supplier setting, which would resemble Semcon's general business practice as much as possible.
the gift packaging design of Squirrel Design Studio. In the example analysis, the packaging design of three gifts of the studio, namely mirror, storage bag, and puzzle, was rated using hierarchical analysis and questionnaires. 2 Visual elements and packaging design In the graphic image design of packaging, visual elements are an important ...
The aim of this study is to perform a product packaging analysis on perfume bottles, using eye gaze tracking technology to identify most viewed and consumer-friendly packaging design.
SCHOOL OF PACKAGINGPH.D. AND M.S. THESES TITLES. COMPLETED 1998 - 2017Copies of Theses are available through ProQuest. If you would like to obtai. ed by theSchool of Packaging, Michigan State University1998 - 2017Aseptic Technique and Packaging: A Study of Potential Contamination Pathw. ys during the Us.
In Europe alone, 25.8 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated annually. According to the statistics collected in 2015, about 60 percent of that waste is the result of the plastic packages and containers that somehow escaped through the plastic recycling process ( European Commision, 2018).