The Power of Packaging: Can Graphics Influence Serving Sizes?

A recent report shows packaging graphics can influence consumers' serving size perception. Via Flickr user miss_yasmina.

Savvy consumers understand that recommended serving sizes for food products are found on the nutritional label. But can packaging graphics play a role in how consumers perceive proper serving sizes? A report out of Cornell University indicates just how powerful images on a package can be.

The report, published in Public Health Nutrition, sought to determine if graphics on cake mix packaging that display “extras, such as toppings or frosting, that are not listed on the nutritional labeling” correspond to the number of calories recommended in a serving size, and if these graphics lead to overserving.

The study examined how both undergraduate students and food-service professionals determined the proper serving size of cake after viewing various packages. Some participants were told that the frosting pictured was not included in the serving size information, while others did not receive this information.

Before serving up the cake to study subjects, a first study was conducted to see if the amount of calories shown was actually in-line with the recommended serving size. The results showed that just the cake pictured on the packaging tended to correspond with the serving size. However, when factoring in the frosting displayed on the boxes, the calorie count was about 134% more than the recommended serving size.

While the report does recognize that the calorie count will obviously go up when factoring in an extra like frosting, the packaging could mislead consumers into thinking this higher calorie intake is within the recommended parameters.

The results of the study also showed that when study participants were told the nutritional information labels did not factor in the frosting, they tended to decrease what they believed was a proper serving. However, those who had no additional information, tended to overserve.

The study concludes that brands don’t necessarily need to change their graphics, especially for items like sauces, where it is necessary to show the product in use. But, to help reduce confusion, the authors state packaging should be more specific as to what’s included in the nutritional information.