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Feeling natural: The influence of tactile characteristics and sensory presentation of food packaging on consumers’ perceived naturalness

Peters, Marie-Luise (2016) Feeling natural: The influence of tactile characteristics and sensory presentation of food packaging on consumers’ perceived naturalness.

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Abstract:More and more “natural” food products are appearing on the German market, utilising the trend of healthy and environmentally-friendly eating while increasing the complexity of decision-making. While most research has focused on the visual cues of food packaging on consumer perceptions, tactile input can also influence evaluations. Hence, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether a change in tactile characteristics of muesli packaging and sensory presentation type affect consumers’ perception of naturalness. In a 2x2 experimental design, 95 German participants evaluated muesli packages which varied in terms of their surface texture (kraft paper vs. rough plastic) in two presentation conditions (visual only vs. visual-tactile). The results revealed that natural tactile characteristics positively influenced perceived naturalness and marginally product liking. Furthermore, naturalness positively predicted perceived quality, product liking and purchase intention. These findings highlight that naturalness can be communicated through food packaging with the help of tactile characteristics to positively influence consumer evaluations. The results could have important implications for food packaging designers, marketers in the muesli sector and online grocery providers.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies
Programme:Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/69217
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