Food product design: emerging evidence for food policy

Abstract

The research on the impact of specific brand elements such as food descriptors and package colors is underexplored. We tested whether a “light” color and a “low-calorie” descriptor on food packages gain favorable consumer perception ratings as compared with regular packages. Our online experiment recruited 406 adults in a 3 (product type: Chips versus Juice versus Yoghurt) × 2 (descriptor type: regular versus low-calorie) × 2 (color type: regular versus light) mixed design. Dependent variables were sensory (evaluations of the product’s nutritional value and quality), product-based (evaluations of the product’s physical appeal), and consumer-based (evaluations of the potential consumers of the product) scales. “Low-calorie” descriptors were found to increase sensory ratings as compared with regular descriptors and light-colored packages received higher product-based ratings as compared with their regular-colored counterparts. Food package color and descriptors present a promising venue for understanding preventative measures against obesity.