Do Hedonic Cues on Product Packages Influence Consumer Behavior? A Study on Utilitarian Retail Food Products

Abstract

Brands in retail packaged foods sector, which is characterized with aggressive competition, relyheavily on the influential effect of packaging as an important marketing mix element used togenerate competitive advantage. Brands apply different types of cues on packages of utilitarianas well as hedonic products to boost their impact on consumers. Although there are studiesfocusing on the influence of such applications on consumer behavior, there is a lack of studies inthe literature which focus on the effect of hedonic cue applications on utilitarian retail foodproducts. This study contributes to the marketing literature by filling this gap and measuring theinfluence of hedonic cue applications on perceived quality and purchase intentions of consumersin the context of utilitarian retail food products. An experimental design is implemented, and theexperimental condition manipulated was the intensity of the hedonic cue application on thepackage. Total of 520 questionnaires consisting of 13 questions are obtained in eight group ofconsumers who are randomly selected as regular supermarket visitors. The sample was composedof consumers who are between twenty and sixty years old (covering, Gen X, Y and partially Z)in Turkey. The results confirmed no significant effect of hedonic cues on utilitarian productquality perceptions and purchase intentions of consumers. Managerial implications and futurestudy suggestions are provided.