Alcohol’s aesthetics: Scotland study finds booze purchases heavily influenced by packaging design

22 Aug 2022 --- Alcohol packaging is an important marketing communications tool that can raise expectations, affect consumer choices, and motivate purchases, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

The study, led by Daniel Jones of the University of Stirling in the UK, involved 50 young adult drinkers in Scotland and found that alcohol packaging conveys messages about the suitability of the product for the target market.

Via pack structure, visuals, and marketing, various packaging forms reinforce the idea that alcohol is a desirable product by demonstrating customer acceptability and building enduring brand impressions.

Prominence of packaging
The researchers maintain that packaging is essential for conveying information about the product and generating interest in it.

“Given that the first taste is often with the eye, packaging can influence palatability ratings without the consumer tasting the product. It can also influence shelf standout, purchasing decisions, customer satisfaction, and consumers’ lived experiences of products,” the study highlights.

Alcohol packaging in the UK is legally required to list the volume, strength (alcohol by volume), and presence of common allergens; other product and health-related information must then be shown by the alcohol companies themselves.

Consumers say they can often tell who alcohol companies are targeting judging by their packaging designs.On-pack advertisements, the availability of single-serve products, and the presentation of alcohol in retail establishments are all not subject to any regulatory limits. It has been asserted that alcohol corporations’ use of packaging for marketing and spreading false information about health is made possible by self-regulation.

The Portman Group, a group that oversees the marketing and packaging of alcoholic beverages in the UK, has come under fire for failing to effectively regulate alcohol marketing, supporting corporate interests and compromising public health.

Despite a significant increase in alcohol-specific deaths in the UK in 2020, alcohol packaging remains a versatile marketing tool.

Addressing the issue
For nonalcoholic beverages, packaging has been extensively examined; nonetheless, studies primarily concentrate on traditional and online alcohol marketing. The few studies that looked at alcohol packaging as a promotional technique were conducted on children and teenagers.

For this study, however, the researchers investigated young adult drinkers’ perceptions of alcohol packaging as a promotional tool, how it is used to create appeal and attract consumers, and which, if any, pack features consumers consider important in order to fill in these research gaps and better understand the influence of packaging on purchasing choice and consumption.

Eight focus groups with 50 current drinkers were performed in Glasgow (Scotland), with participants divided by age (18 to 24, 25 to 35), gender (female, male), and social class (ABC1, C2DE). A variety of alcoholic products were shown to participants, given to them to handle, and they were subjected to questions.

Attentiveness to visuals
The data revealed five key themes. The first was the pervasiveness of alcohol packaging, with reports of frequent exposure in a variety of locations, including stores and bars, as well as through marketing.

The second was an appeal, whereby pack graphics (color), structure (form and size), and promotions (gifts and limited editions) allowed alcohol packs to stand out on shelves, attract attention, and assist consumers to develop a preference for and interest in particular products and brands.Associating different gatherings with different kinds of drinks according to the packaging is common practice among consumers.

Third, the packaging of alcohol was usually linked to particular events and activities. for example, Smirnoff and Gordon’s for socializing (like on nights out), Budweiser for watching football at home and at gatherings and Wolf Blass and Baileys for special occasions like Christmas and dinner parties.

Fourth, the packaging of alcohol influenced opinions about the suitability, desired drinker profiles, and product/consumer targeting. Most were explicit about the audience their packaging was intended for and which products were suitable for particular age groups and genders, with the suggestion that “it’s not rocket science who they’re [alcohol companies] trying to target.”

Fifth, alcohol packaging also appeals to non-visual senses (such as touch, sound, and smell), influencing consumers’ perceptions of how the alcohol will taste and smell. Many people regarded the aesthetic of the packaging as a gauge for flavor and palatability, for example, anticipating that certain beverages would be fruity, light, or refreshing or that they would “taste nice from the packaging.”

Because of the packaging, some consumers chose not to purchase products they believed would not taste well. As one participant put it, “it doesn’t look nice, so you probably feel you don’t want to drink it.”

Packaging’s power
The study highlights the fact that “some participants reported purchasing products they would not normally buy solely because of the packaging and that most retained empty alcohol packs to reuse, collect, and display at home for aesthetic reasons, is testament to the appeal of some alcohol packs.”

Alcohol packaging delivers messages of consumer and product compatibility and acceptability, forming enduring brand impressions and reiterating the view that alcohol is a “desirable” product through pack structure, images and marketing, at least as reported by young adult consumers in Scotland.

By Mieke Meintjes

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