Browsing by Author "Kainulainen, Maiju"

The study examines consumers' views on the use of colours and their appreciation in food packaging. The study asks what characteristics consumers value in food packaging and what matters become relevant in relation to the colour of food packaging. A present, empha-sis is placed on environmental friendliness in the production and use of food packaging. The ecological production method and consumption of colours have also received some atten-tion. A previous study has examined packaging and colours, focusing largely on the charac-teristics of individual packages or product groups. The perspective has been on marketing science. From the perspective of home economics, packaging and colours are examined in the context of everyday life. The research has been carried out using qualitative research methods. The material collec-tion was carried out as a group interview using a semi-structured theme interview and stimu-lus material (food package). The material consists of four group interviews with three per-sons. The interviewees were 26–73 years old. The literate material was analysed using data-based content analysis. The study shows that consumers value the usability of food packaging, which means that it is easy for them to use it comprehensively. Consumers feel uncertain about the recyclability of packaging. The colours and printing of packaging are unfamiliar to consumers because they had no knowledge of the packaging colours and/or their origin. At the same time, how-ever, it emerged that consumers would like information on the packaging colours and would be happy to accept food packaging in which the colouring matter used would have been made more ecologically. Consumers trusted experts with information on the environmental friendliness, use and safety of colours. Based on the study, the aim should be to take into account the recyclability of packaging and the use of packaging colours throughout the life cycle of the product. On the one hand, we need clearer and more informative recycling la-bels for packaging and, on the other hand, the use of natural colours in packaging. This means that both packaging material and printing ink could be recycled simultaneously, which would increase the ecological quality of packaging.