Packaging as a Source of Information on the Product in Food Purchasing Decisions: The Case of Poland
Purpose: The article aims to identify, analyze and determine the key information placed on food packaging, which constitute the informative value of packaging in the context of the impact on the purchasing decisions of food products by housewives in Poland. Design/Methodology/Approach: The conducted analysis assumed that in the food purchasing process the consumer perceives and analyzes selected information encoded on food packaging (both obligatory and optional). Determinants of the informative value of food packaging influencing purchasing decisions were identified during the study - an individual categorized interview, which was carried out among women - housewives in Poland (N = 900) in 2019. Findings: The analysis of the results of the study with the use of basic techniques for assessing the significance of variables and exploratory factor analysis made it possible to identify key information on the packaging of food products that affect the purchasing decisions of housewives in Poland. The identified key information allowed us to develop determinants of the informational value of food packaging in the context of the impact on the purchasing decisions of consumers in Poland. Practical Implications: The identified determinants of the informational value of food packaging are a valuable guide for entities placing food on the market in terms of packaging design, in particular, the appropriate selection of optional information as well as the legibility and reliability of labeling packaging with obligatory information. Originality/Value: The conducted identification and analysis of the key determinants of the informational value of food packaging may be a reference point for packaging of non-food products (cosmetics, household chemicals, dietary supplements, OTC drugs).