Junk food packaging on healthy food: A matter of children’s perceptions

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

While there is extensive research regarding the impact of television on food choices, much less is focused on an instrument able to change beliefs at the point-of-purchase: packaging. This study aims to understand how food packaging can influence children‟s attitudes and purchase decisions towards healthier choices. Therefore, the appealing components of junk food packaging will be transferred to healthy food in order to understand its effect on children: Package Evaluation, Attention to Packaging, Attitude toward the Product, Perceived Healthiness, and Purchase Intention. To measure these variables, structured questionnaires were conducted to a sample composed by 408 Portuguese children aged between 10 and 14 years old from 5th to 9th grades. This study suggests that packaging can be a way to increase the appeal of healthy food to children and, consequently, improve their food choices, taking into consideration their values and preferences.