The influence of packaging on consumers’ quality perception of carrots

Abstract The aim of the present research was to investigate the influence of packaging design on consumers' perception of quality of fresh carrots. We adopted a conjoint analytic approach in which 251 Danish consumers rated the perceived quality and value (expected price) of nine packaging images, obtained by systematically varying packaging type (plastic bag, plastic box, cardboard paper) and label color (blue, brown, grey). The results revealed that the main attribute influencing the perceptions of the consumer was packaging type. Specifically, the box packages (both plastic and cardboard) were associated to carrots of significantly higher perceived value and quality compared to the plastic bag packages. Furthermore, the study identified the most important aspects consumers attend to when purchasing carrots. A transparent packaging, allowing consumers to inspect the produce, was mentioned as the most important aspect. Being organic and local were identified as the second and third most important, respectively. Practical applications Packaging is an important extrinsic product attribute that can influence consumer perceptions of fresh produce. The results have implications for retailers and producers with respect to the choice of packaging and label design. Specifically, consumers associated box packages to higher quality produce, suggesting that carrots in this type of package may command higher price and/or be preferred to bagged alternatives at a similar price point. The study further indicated the importance of using a transparent packaging that clearly allow consumers to inspect the produce, and also suggest that “organic” and “local” are important drivers of purchase for this product category.