Symmetry influences packaging aesthetic evaluation and purchase intention

Arnaud Bigoin-Gagnan (1) , Sophie Lacoste-Badie (1, 2)

1 CREM - Centre de recherche en économie et management
2 LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the symmetrical disposition of information items displayed on the front of product packaging on perceived complexity, perceptual fluency, aesthetic evaluation and product purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 104 participants was exposed to fast-moving consumer goods packaging. A within-subject design experiment was carried out to assess the influence of the symmetrical disposition of information items displayed on the front of the packaging. ANOVA and a PROCESS procedure to assess mediation (Hayes, 2013) examined the relationships among the factors influenced by symmetry.FindingsThis study found that the symmetrical disposition of information items around the vertical axis (mirror symmetry) decreased visual complexity and highlighted an “indirect-only mediation” of visual complexity on the aesthetic evaluation of the packaging through processing fluency. This research also highlighted the fact that packaging aesthetic evaluation had a positive influence on purchase intention.Originality/valueThis study extends knowledge on package design by showing that the elements on which the producer can act (in this case, symmetry on the front of packaging) have an influence on the consumer’s evaluation of the product and intention to purchase.

Mots clés: Purchase intention; Symmetry; Aesthetic evaluation; Package design; Perceived complexity; Perceptual fluency

Domaines: Gestion et management

Arnaud Bigoin-Gagnan, Sophie Lacoste-Badie. Symmetry influences packaging aesthetic evaluation and purchase intention. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 2018, 46 (11/12), pp.1026-1040. ⟨10.1108/IJRDM-06-2017-0123⟩. ⟨halshs-01940835⟩