The impact of overpackaging´s elimination on consumers´ purchase intention

: the mediating effect of brand image and brand ecological image

Abstract

With society’s growing concern for sustainability, consumers are more aware than ever about the impact of their choices on the environment, thus changing their needs and buying behavior. This way, companies are being pressured to adapt to this evolving trend and find their way through this segment. Given the relevance that packaging has as a communication tool, the development of sustainable packaging may be an efficient way to convey environmental efforts. This research aims to understand the impact that overpackaging’s elimination has on consumers’ purchase intention in the yogurt category, as well as the mediating role that perceived brand image and brand ecological image have in this relationship. In order to gather information, an online survey was conducted, in which respondents were random and evenly exposed to one of six possible scenarios, varying in brand and level of overpackaging. These stimuli were created and improved through a pre-study, consisting of individual interviews, followed by a pilot test to assure the survey’s full comprehension. The obtained results suggest that consumers’ purchase intention is, indeed, influenced by the level of overpackaging. Additionally, while brand ecological image has proven to mediate the relationship between the level of overpackaging and purchase intention, brand image has not. However, findings have indicated that there is a sequential mediation, meaning that the absence of overpackaging positively impacts brand ecological image, which enhances brand image, thus increasing purchase intention.

Date of Award	28 Apr 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Daniel Fernandes (Supervisor) & Paulo Romeiro (Co-Supervisor)