Packaging colour and consumer expectations: Insights from specialty coffee

Packaging and labelling of food and beverages play a critical role in attracting consumer attention and shaping sensory and hedonic expectations. This study examined the impact of sixteen coffee packaging colours, varying in hue and saturation, on specialty coffee consumers' expectations through an online survey. A total of 238 participants rated their expectations regarding coffee aroma, flavour, acidity, sweetness, bitterness, body, roast level, and overall liking. They also evaluated associations between colours and flavour profiles, as well as affective (e.g., modern, sophisticated) and utilitarian (e.g., organic, decaffeinated) concepts. Using repeated-measures MANOVA, principal component analysis, and correspondence analysis, the study identified clear patterns in how colours influence consumer expectations. The results revealed that pink elicited expectations of sweetness and berry or floral flavour notes, while brown was associated with bitterness, dark roast, intense aroma, and cocoa flavour notes. Additionally, colours such as pink and green conveyed affective meanings (e.g., modern) and utilitarian values (e.g., organic), respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of using packaging colours strategically to align sensory and conceptual expectations with product characteristics. The insights are particularly relevant for the specialty coffee sector aiming to differentiate their offerings and appeal to specific consumer segments through optimised packaging design, contributing both to producers in coffee-producing countries by making their products more attractive to consumers, and to importers of specialty coffee in a highly competitive market that seeks differentiation.