As we have mentioned, quality seals and clean labels require specific conditions to be met whereby companies need to consider their individual trade-off between the potential positive effects on consumer perceptions and the resources needed to fulfil their requirements. From a company’s perspective, meeting these requirements potentially leads to higher costs, for instance. Thus, as not all companies utilize quality seals on their packaging, we would like to answer the question of how relevant quality seals and labels are in comparison to other design elements in terms of sustainability or naturalness. How effective are quality seals compared to alternatives?
Throughout her research, Marina Weiß conducted 10 qualitative interviews and a quantitative online survey with 122 participants exploring potential green-washing effects and the impact of packaging designs on the consumers’ evaluation of naturalness regarding cosmetic products.
Packaging design helps consumers to differentiate between conventional, close to natural and natural cosmetics. While doing so, different information on the packaging, such as the price or color, can be consciously or unconsciously processed, which in turn has an influence on the evaluation and acceptance of the products.
Main findings
Weiß’s research (2017) concluded in a ranking of packaging elements which convey naturalness to consumers. The following ranks the specific elements used in the research from most to less effective:
- Picture of the natural active ingredient – They arouse the attention of the consumers and remain better in their memory.
- Green design – Creates an impression of naturalness among consumers. Presumably, consumers associate the color green with nature.
- Quality seals – Due to their pictorial character, they are easy and quick to grasp, just like green color and images. A seal, or something that resembles one, is often attributed with words like “quality tested” and “trustworthy”.
- The word “natural cosmetics” – As it is not a protected term, consumers rely on the fact that creams labeled as “natural cosmetics” are only based on natural ingredients. Yet, text modules are slower and more difficult to grasp than visualizations.
Strong “natural” effects of cosmetic products are better received by customers and therefore lead to higher acceptance, i.e. generate greater interest in buying these products. In fact, regardless of the consumers’ level of involvement, a natural effect of the product increases the liking for it, whereby quality seals have a positive influence, but are not the only important element on the package to communicate naturalness.
However, the study (Weiß, 2018) also showed that the more involved respondents were, the lower was the natural effect of the packaging on them. Presumably, the little product information provided on the packaging is not enough to convince highly involved consumers that the cosmetic product has a natural effect.
Recommendations for companies (cosmetics industry)
- Natural cosmetic producers have a competitive advantage due to the consumers’ higher acceptance of natural products. Hence, producers of cosmetic products should contemplate if and how they can follow this trend.
- The right packaging design plays an important role in showcasing this benefit at the point of sale.
- Quality seals are one way to communicate sustainability or naturalness alongside other design elements, such as pictures, the color green, or specific wording.
- Producers should not utilize a packaging design which portrays naturalness (e.g., by using green color) for products which are not natural or sustainable because of potential green-washing effects.
Overall conclusion
Overall, sustainable consumption is becoming an increasingly important trend, whereby egoistical (e.g., health, product quality) motives seem more prevalent than altruistic motives (e.g., fair trade, environmental protection). Acceptance of sustainable products is rising, increasing the need of companies to offer these products. Packaging is an effective way to communicative sustainability benefits at the point of sale. Companies can communicate sustainability on package design by using seals and labels, but should consider the type of product, as they may not be the superior design element to convey sustainability. When using quality seals, they should be awarded by a credible and trustworthy institution, rather than the company itself. However, our research also showed that not all consumer groups respond the same to seals and labels. We concluded that it strongly depends on the level of involvement, as they may be perceived as part of a green-washing strategy and differences between industries apply as well. Ultimately, the effects of quality seals and labels on the consumers’ buying-decisions can be increased by coherent product packaging designs.
References
Weiß, M. (2017). Green-Washing-Effekte: Wie beeinflusst das Verpackungsdesign die Produktbeurteilung von Kosmetik hinsichtlich ihrer Natürlichkeit? [Unpublished bachelor’s thesis]. Hochschule für Technik Stuttgart – University for Applied Sciences.
