2. Packaging influencing consumer purchase decisions

Shopping under time pressure and making unplanned purchases preclude consumers giving detailed consideration to package elements and the number of comparisons that can be made. Consumers do not tend to search extensively for information about the brands when purchasing FMCG products (with some exceptions), carefully evaluate product features and then make a conscious decision on which brand to buy. Instead purchases of FMCG products are characterised by a large proportion of people who make routine purchases. How consumers perceive the subjective entity of products, as presented through communication elements in the package, influences their choice and is the key to success for many FMCG products’ marketing strategies.

Academic studies on the influence of packaging on the purchase decision and its effect on brand and product perceptions have provided empirical evidence on the following key aspects:

• Identification: The appearance of the package has an impact on consumers concerning the identification of brands. For example, consumers identify more easily those brands whose new packages are designed with colours that are similar to the original packages.

• Attention: Packages attract attention primarily through colours and shape, with pictures on packages attracting attention particularly in cases when consumers are less familiar with a brand.

• Communication: Package appearance can also influence the evaluation of the core product. For instance, while pictures of the core products on packages are not found to have an improved impact on the evaluation of the brand, pictures (including overall graphics of the packaging design) can have a positive impact on brand beliefs and attitudes towards the package supporting the view that brand identity and image can be enhanced if not created through packages.

• Impact on attitudes: Appearances have an impact on attitudes concerning brands and packages as well as purchase intentions. Consumers are influenced by non-verbal signs (e.g. colour) when they are under time pressure. In these purchase situations consumers process the appearance of the package instead of evaluating verbal information on the package [8].

Overall, in regard to non-verbal signs, no significant evidence is found that pictures (and other important non-verbal signs in the form of colours, size and shape, and layout) result in improved brand evaluations. However, pictures on packages can have an improved impact on brand beliefs and impart a positive effect on attitudes towards the package itself. Names and logos are the most prominent brand elements, but anything that is uniquely associated with the brand, like the presence of a licensed or brand-owned character (e.g., a Disney character or the Pillsbury Doughboy), or the colour, design and texture of the packaging can influence brand awareness and brand image.

An indication of the importance that consumers place on packaging design is shown in Figure 2, which compares the importance of a number of different factors influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions. As shown, while packaging might not be as important as price and brand image, consumers report that it can have more influence than TV advertising, product innovation and in-store promotions. The advantage that packaging offers over other communication media, like TV advertising and in-store promotions, is the range of information that it can convey to detail product contents whilst giving clarity to the image, branding and appeal of the product, so acting more as a brand builder and information provider rather than purely for advertising.

Retailers and brand managers around the globe have embraced the concept of employing visual cues including the design of products and packages to convey brand meaning. For example, Apple seeks to ensure consumers perceive the brand as well-designed, user-friendly and cutting edge. L’Oreal focuses on communicating high quality and personal care and indulgence in the market the firm serves, while Budweiser designs its packages to generate consumer judgments of ruggedness and sincerity. Most recently, a study has examined how three factors generic to design, its typicality, clarity, and information content, relate to the accuracy of individual judgments about a brand's quality or personality. The following section extends the discussion by focusing on the role of packaging in building consumer trust and confidence.