Investigating the relationship among the Kansei-based design of chocolate packaging, consumer perception, and willingness to buy

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this article, the influence of two design variables of chocolate packaging, i.e., material and graphic, has been examined on consumer impressions and willingness to buy. Kansei Engineering methodology has been applied to measure the emotional responses to the two chocolate packaging design variables. The influence of participants’ gender has been also considered in this study. Three hundred and eighty-five consumers participated in this investigation, evaluating 14 Kansei words for seven different groups of packaging designs. Friedman test has been used to compare the mean ranks of Kansei words among different dimensions of packaging material and graphic design. Findings indicate that packaging material influences some of the components of sensory expectations, brand attitude, quality and price perception, while graphic design affects most of them. Willingness to buy is more related to the packaging graphic design than to the material. In addition, a comparison among the impressions of males and females indicates that females were more likely to be affected by the material of the package.