Preference for Colour in Food Packaging among Children in Selected Schools in Ibadan Nigeria (original) (raw)

2019, International Journal of Innovative Research and Development

Introduction Colour has many conventions attached to it and can portray messages to children. It is a significant feature in a package. They trigger the fastest response among packages features and have developed into one of the essential visual design elements for the package (Farhana 2012). It is the perceptual characteristic of light described by a colour name. Wenzel, Langer, Kassar and Bencze (2012) define the preference of colour as the tendency to prefer specific colours to others. Some colours, while to others appear less pleasant or neutral, sometimes even repellent, are perceived as pleasant and attractive to another. In a variety of populations and cultures, the colour preference among children has been explored. There is, however, little understanding of colour psychology and literature, especially on colour preference among Nigerian children in Ibadan. Also, factors identified as being responsible for colour preference in populations from industrialized countries may not be the same for people in developing countries, such as Nigeria. Consequently, the present study was conducted to evaluate colour preference in food packaging amongst a group of children in schools in Ibadan, Nigeria. The effects of colour on food choices were investigated by Walsh, Toma, Tuveson, & Sondhi (1990). The test was conducted on 120 children, and the results showed that a significant colour effect indicated that in that order, children preferred foods that were red, green, orange, and yellow. When determining possible colour options for children's product, packaging professionals must keep the children in mind. The type of message the product should give must be establishedto bear in mind children as the target audience. The appropriate colour scheme must also be used. A package could be considered successful if it instils a certain image or message into the mind of the kids. For many years, this would keep them loyal. Packaging professionals should use the appropriate colour scheme for effective designs. Colour is one of the brand's most convincing aspects and conveys a message. Furthermore, colour is a powerful visual cue for attracting children's attention and influencing purchasing decisions. Although the colour is only one attribute of product packaging and does not work in isolation, marketing research emphasizes the significance of colour as a communicator of product and corporate messaging (Won and Westland 2017). The colour of packaging was also recognized as an essential element in children's food choices. Different colours offer different meanings (Madden, Roth and Hewett 2000)and have both symbolic and aesthetic meanings. This is important for marketers trying to convey certain messages about their brand or product. Colour affects whether children will be attracted to the product or not. Packaging constitutes an essential form of marketing communications. Furthermore, Liao et al. (2015) opine that apart from its functional properties, packaging conveys relevant product information and influences children's mood about a product. In packaging, colour is one of the essential components for attracting children. Visible from a greater distance than other elements such as illustrations or graphics, it is often one of the first things children notice. It plays a crucial role in making kids see what you want them to see, feel what you want them to explore and do what you want them to do. In the preoperative stage, children tend to focus on a single stimulus, such as the stimuli found in the colour of the packaging. Perception is a vehicle through which the meaning that a person attaches to a specific stimulus, such as colour, could be determined (Visser 2006).