When desired brand values might conflict: The diagnosticity of different packaging elements on brand sustainability and brand quality

Recent research has shown that (1) what consumers value and find important in brands might be more than just its product attributes and that (2) brand attitudes may not be specific enough for managing a brand’s identity in a more demanding market. Trying to provide brand managers with more comprehensive insights into how their brand can strengthen its identity and better connect with its target audience, the purpose of this study is to further expand our knowledge on the impact of different package design elements (materials used, informational cue, packaging color, and supporting image) on the brand values sustainability and quality.
A rating-based conjoint analyses among 165 Dutch consumers shows that brand quality assessments are dominated by packaging material used, with a strong preference for Cardboard & Plastics. When assessing the brand value sustainability, the most important packaging element for respondents is the presence of an eco-label, closely followed by the packaging material attribute. We found that consumer sustainability beliefs are lower for ‘Plastics’ than for ‘Cardboard’, but appear significantly higher for ‘Cardboard & Plastics’ than for ‘Cardboard’ or ‘Plastics’ alone. Shockingly, the material combination of both cardboard with plastics’ is perceived as the most pro-environmental choice by consumers which urges for “wake-up calls and campaigns.”