Brands may wish to avoid making their printed labels appear too busy, as this may lead consumers to believe they are more processed.
This is according to an article published in Food Technology magazine by the Institute of Food Technologists' Barbara Katz and LuAnn Williams, ChiroEco.com reports.
They carried out a study and found that consumers tend to perceive foods with simple labels to be more natural, while somewhat chaotic ones are rated as having more added to them, even if they do not contain additives.
However, there was confusion over what constituted 'simple', with some consumers saying it referred to the actual design of the peelable labels and others explaining they meant that the foods contained few synthetic ingredients.
It may lead manufacturers to carry out more research into product design and its implications.
Planet Retail recently suggested that companies designing new packaging should get customers involved in order to ensure good quality and build up trust.
Denny Bros Ltd, 21 December 2011
