Comparative Perception(s) of Consumer Goods Packaging: Croatian Consumers Perspective(s)

Abstract

For centuries, packaging communicates and is capable of attracting consumer's attention. In the B2C market it usually communicates images influencing consumer perception, appeal to the consumer's emotions, and generate desire for some specific product. Therefore, packaging could be considered as promotional tool, especially within the retail industry environment. However, to understand how packaging communicates and influences consumers it is necessary to emphasize the way how consumers perceive packaging in general. The "communicational" dimensions of packaging are factors that could affect consumers and influence their purchasing behaviour. While some of the communicational dimensions of packaging (e.g. design, size, colour, and carried information) attracted modest attention among academic researchers, there is a relative lack of studies dealing with the packaging material. It is the purpose of this paper to provide a limited insight/overview to generic consumer's perception of packaging material by combining the findings from the current seminal research studies and primary research used in this paper. Focus groups findings indicate that consumers are merely aware of different packaging material and their characteristics. Consumers are expressing needs for safe packaging, yet the importance of convenience seems to be the most important and they are prepared for some trade-offs in order to maintain usage convenience. It is indicative that preferences of particular packaging material over another are moderated by certain factors (e.g. age, place of consumption, occasion, and product category). Due to sample and research methodology limitations the findings are limited regarding their generic value. However, the indications given can be considered as valuable guidelines necessary for further research in the field.

Consumer Perceptions of Food Packaging: Contributing to or Counteracting Environmentally Sustainable Development?

“…A range of previous studies has examined how different sets of these aspects can influence consumers' choices, but studies including consumer perceptions of packaging are limited . Of the ones found, some examine consumer perceptions in relation to a limited set of predefined packaging‐related aspects; others focus strictly on the communicative function of packaging covering mainly the graphical design elements or focus on packaging material in particular …”

“…Although there appears to be a growing interest in packaging from an environmental perspective, previous research on consumers' environmental preferences for packaging is sparsely reported . In the studies found, consumer perception is examined in relation to predefined sets of environmental aspects of packaging that are mostly limited to matters of material and recyclability or are left unspecified . The authors of this study thus decided to broaden the environmental perspective of packaging from material and recyclability and explore how consumers spontaneously perceive packaging from an environmental perspective.…”

“…13 Of the ones found, some examine consumer perceptions in relation to a limited set of predefined packaging-related aspects 4,11-14 ; others focus strictly on the communicative function of packaging covering mainly the graphical design elements 10,15 or focus on packaging material in particular. 16,17 Although there appears to be a growing interest in packaging from an environmental perspective, previous research on consumers' environmental preferences for packaging is sparsely reported. 4,18,19 In the studies found, consumer perception is examined in relation to predefined sets of environmental aspects of packaging that are mostly limited to matters of material and recyclability 4,12,20 or are left unspecified.…”

“…4,18,19 In the studies found, consumer perception is examined in relation to predefined sets of environmental aspects of packaging that are mostly limited to matters of material and recyclability 4,12,20 or are left unspecified. 16,17 The authors of this study thus decided to broaden the environmental perspective of packaging from material and recyclability and explore how consumers spontaneously perceive packaging from an environmental perspective. The authors chose to specifically relate the study to the organic food category because it particularly emphasizes the environmental profile.…”

Consumer Perception of Wine Packaging in Croatia: A Wine Producers View

“…Shimp, 2003;Underwood, 2003;Draskovic, Temperley and Pavicic, 200) additionally suggest packaging material as a communicative element. As Fill (200) suggested, packaging communicates with consumers via its colour, shape, package size and the carried information.…”