Review of Package Warning Labels and Their Effect on Consumer Behaviour with Insights to Future Anticounterfeit Strategy of Label and Communication Systems

Abstract

This paper investigates and reviews literature regarding a range of topics important to the research questionthe themes apply across all the topics. The topics include label and package warnings, including tamperevident features, to review their effect on the consumer behaviour of changing usage or purchase decisions. This information was then applied to gain insight into anticounterfeit product/package efforts. Based on this research, it appears that there is value for brand marketers to enhance their anticounterfeit efforts and consumer confidence by utilizing warning labels and information labels on their labels or packages. Currently, consumer perception of a domestic counterfeit product threat (promoted as genuine products), even for pharmaceuticals by healthcare professionals, although increasing has still been very low. Generally, the consumers believe and expect that the product purchased from retailers is safe and genuine. The study reviewed many key warning and label communication areas: consumer behaviour review, technical specifications, anticounterfeit, tamper evidence/tamper resistance, over-the-counter drugs, alcohol, cigarette, nutrition food and nutrition supplements. To complete the insight on communicating with the consumer, a review of label legibility was included. Before brand marketers consider adding anticounterfeit warning labels, extensive consumer behaviour research should be conducted in areas such as fear appeals and involuntary risk outrage.

Improving Information Processing: The Effect of Label Format Among Current and Potential Over-the-Counter Medication Users

“…Placement of warnings plays a crucial role, as it is intended to prevent mishaps such as injury or adverse drug events. 32 A majority of the participants in the current study worked in the health care field. A similar study conducted in college students showed results akin to our results.…”

Defining the Public Health Threat of Food Fraud

“…While the FD&C Act is the tool used to address food fraud, there are other applicable regulations that cover such areas as intellectual property rights, fair labeling, tampering, theft, consumer product safety, and product importation (Spink and others 2011). The laws and regulations covering food fraud and consumer product counterfeiting are diverse because they were developed from regulatory or statutory responsibilities outward, specific to the known fraud types and the criminals—this inherent complexity creates both coverage gaps and overlaps that impede food fraud enforcement efforts.…”

“…Effective enforcement is a challenge because the food fraud risk is emerging, evolving and extremely complex. For example, the deliberate misidentification of packaged food potentially involves a variety of regulatory violations under the jurisdiction of various regulatory and enforcement agencies (Spink and others 2011). Food ingredient statements are the regulatory and statutory domain of the FDA.…”

How Does Packaging Influence Consumer Behavior? A Multidisciplinary Bibliometric Study

“…In other words, the packaging can actually whet a person's appetite and cause a person to overeat, therefore leading to obesity. Spink et al (2011) examined whether consumers can assimilate and correctly understand the information on a product container. They pointed out, for example, that a warning of DANGER on the label may change consumer behavior and cause a person not to purchase the product.…”

“…They pointed out, for example, that a warning of DANGER on the label may change consumer behavior and cause a person not to purchase the product. They found that packaging influences buying decisions, may possibly lead to information being interpreted incorrectly, and could have an impact on sales (Spink et al, 2011). …”