Multisensory Packaging Design: Color, Shape, Texture, Sound, and Smell – Integrating the Packaging and Product Experience in Food and Beverages – 1

Abstract

The visual aspects of packaging design (think here of color and form, or image mold) are critical to the success or failure of many of the products on the supermarket shelf. While a large body of research has detailed the meaning and impact of packaging color, the haptic (or tactile), auditory, and olfactory attributes of packaging design have to date received far less attention from researchers. In this review, the literature on multisensory food and beverage packaging is critically evaluated, with a focus on the contributions of the various senses to the consumer’s overall multisensory product experience. Evidence is reviewed concerning how the color (not to mention the other sensory cues) associated with product packaging can capture the shopper’s attention on shelf, while at the same time signaling the likely flavor of the contents. What is more, the multisensory attributes of the packaging can influence the consumer’s perception of the taste/flavor of the contents. Given the lower costs of production/development, together with the growing awareness of its importance, interest in the multisensory attributes of product packaging is only likely to increase in the years to come.