2019, Volume 22, Paper 7

ISSN: 2209-6612

Can Colour Create Value in the Food Market? A Systematic Literature Review on the Relationship between Colour and Consumer Perceptions

Lok Io Wong – Postgraduate student, Master of Food Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville.

Garry Griffith – Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville; Centre for Global Food and Resources, University of Adelaide, Adelaide; and UNE Business School, University of New England, Armidale. 

Abstract

It was traditionally believed that consumer perception of a food/drink product was, and could only be, influenced by that product’s intrinsic properties. Extrinsic properties such as colour were not paid much attention. Since the early 1970s a range of different studies have been done on how a certain colour, whether being incorporated in the food/drink itself, or as part of the packaging design, could potentially affect consumers’ taste/flavour perception and acceptability of that foodstuff. This paper uses a systematic literature review method to review findings regarding the colour-perception associations, and to categorise them. The aim is to provide meaningful recommendations for the food processing industry, as well as for possible future experiments. Overall, based on the literature reviewed, it is shown that colour does exert an influence on consumers’ taste/flavour perception of a food, and the intensity of the colour also makes a difference. Colours that are used as a food background (e.g. packaging, crockery) are also shown to influence consumers’ perception, sometimes even their behaviour. Taking cultural and age differences into consideration, the food industry can use colour to a greater extent as a technique to add value to their food/drink products.

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