Which visual elements on packaging affect perceived credibility? A case study of in vitro diagnostic kits

Area of Science:

• Consumer Psychology
• Health Product Marketing
• In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD)

Background:

• Rising public health awareness and global crises increase demand for IVD reagents.
• Consumer mistrust is a major barrier to IVD product adoption.
• Visual packaging elements influence consumer perception of pharmaceutical products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how visual packaging elements affect consumer credibility perception of IVD products.
• To identify specific visual elements that enhance perceived credibility of rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits.

Main Methods:

• Experimental study combining previous research on visual elements and consumer perception.
• Focus on rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits as the product category.
• Data collected via questionnaires from 216 randomly assigned participants.

Main Results:

• All four tested visual elements (typeface, color, pattern, information) significantly influenced perceived credibility.
• A sans serif typeface, realistic pattern, chromatic color, and increased information led to higher perceived credibility.
• Identified specific visual cues that bolster consumer confidence in IVD products.

Conclusions:

• Visual packaging design is a critical factor in building consumer trust for IVD products.
• Provides actionable insights for designing credible packaging for over-the-counter (OTC) health products.
• Offers a novel design strategy for marketing and promotional efforts by companies and health organizations.