Colouring perception: emphasising attractiveness through packaging

Healthier foods are often less tasty, less preferred and less rewarding compared to their regular counterparts. Although the principle basis of food preference is the attractiveness of flavour, other factors (e.g., package colour) are also important contributors to product perception and preference. Healthier foods are often packaged differently compared to regular products (i.e., less vibrantly coloured vs. more vibrantly coloured respectively).

In her dissertation Irene Tijssen looked at the effects of several package colour aspects on the perception of the healthier products themselves. She found that packaging healthier foods in warmer, more saturated package colours (i.e., more vibrantly coloured) may render them more flavourful, more attractive and more rewarding. This could lead to an increase in preference for healthier foods, without changing the actual product itself. She demonstrates the abilities of package colour properties to make healthier foods more attractive and demonstrates importance of package colour aspects when designing healthier products.