A new study by Consumer group Which has revealed that biscuits taste better if they are in fancy packaging. The research found that packs of cookies were scored higher by the testers who saw them before eating compared to those who tasted them blind.
According to the experiment, a person is influenced by the way food is packed as the opinion of how the taste of food should be is heightened by the glossy images displayed on the wrapping, mirror.co.uk reported.
Which? asked two groups of people to taste and rate chocolate chip cookies from the premium, standard and budget range at Asda, Sainsbury's and Tesco supermarkets in order to prove that a person eats with eyes as well as with mouth. Cookies with packaging were given to one group and the other group tasted the biscuits blind.
Experts, who were also asked by Which? to examine the design of some supermarket own brand ranges, felt that some budget range products seemed to be designed to put customers off, tempting them into upgrading to a pricier alternative. The experts also thought that the basic items' design had become sensitive with softer colours and classier writing and admitted that supermarkets, with revamped packaging were putting more effort into making budget lines attractive.
Luxury products often featured clear windows so as to make the product display with a 'nothing to hide' feature, the experts added.
Which? shopping expert Matt Clear said the supermarkets have to compete even harder for custom in the continuing recession.
"One of the ways they do this is by using carefully designed packaging to influence customers' perceptions of their products," Clear added.
