Publisher Home ↗ editor@randspublications.org
International Journal of Social Sciences, Language and Linguistics eISSN 2051-686X Submit Article
Research Articles Open access

Packaging Design's Role in Guiding Children's Healthy Snack Selections: A Literature Review (2018-2024)

Published
Pages 01-05
Views 110
Downloads 115

Authors

  • Claire Thompson Department of Child Psychology and Behavioral Science, University of Melbourne, Australia Author
  • Dr. Olivia Chen Department of Health Communication and Behavioural Sciences, Monash University, Australia Author

DOI

https://doi.org/10.55640/ijssll-02-01-01 ↗

Abstract

The influence of packaging design on children's food choices has become an increasingly critical focus in efforts to promote healthier eating habits. This literature review synthesizes empirical studies published between 2018 and 2024 that examine how packaging elements—such as colors, characters, typography, health claims, and interactive features—impact children's snack preferences and perceptions. The review identifies key trends and psychological mechanisms behind packaging appeal, evaluates the effectiveness of design interventions aimed at encouraging healthier choices, and highlights the ethical considerations in targeting child consumers. Findings suggest that child-oriented design can significantly affect snack selection behavior, and that strategic, health-promoting packaging can serve as a valuable tool in public health nutrition strategies. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy, marketing practice, and future research directions.

Keywords

packaging design influence , children's snack choices , healthy eating promotion , food marketing to children , visual design elements , nutritional labeling effectiveness

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1. Zhang, D. (2018). When age meets culture: An investigation of children’s package design preferences. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 35(2), 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-06-2016-1852

2. Zhang, D. (2019). Color Versus Form: Which Matters More in Children’s Preferences of Package Design? Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 31(1), 39–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/08961530.2018.1436482

3. Chang, J. T., Wang, B., Chang, C. M., & Ambrose, B. K. (2019). National estimates of poisoning events related to liquid nicotine in young children treated in US hospital emergency departments, 2013–2017. Injury Epidemiology, 6(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-019-0188-9

4. Aspers, P., & Corte, U. (2021). What is Qualitative in Research. Qualitative Sociology, 44(4), 599–608. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11133-021-09497-w

5. Busetto, L., Wick, W., & Gumbinger, C. (2020). How to use and assess qualitative research methods. Neurological Research and Practice, 2(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42466-020-00059-z

6. Chan, K., Tse, T., Tam, D., & Huang, A. (2018). Perception of healthy and unhealthy food among Chinese adolescents. Young Consumers, 17(1), 32–45. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-03-2015-00520

7. Chang, J. T., Wang, B., Chang, C. M., & Ambrose, B. K. (2019). National estimates of poisoning events related to liquid nicotine in young children treated in US hospital emergency departments, 2013–2017. Injury Epidemiology, 6(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40621-019-0188-9

8. Cheng, G., Duan, R., Kranz, S., Libuda, L., & Zhang, L. (2019). Development of a Dietary Index to Assess Overall Diet Quality for Chinese School-Aged Children: The Chinese Children Dietary Index. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(4), 608–617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2015.11.010

9. Franklin, R. L., & Rodgers, G. B. (2018). Unintentional Child Poisonings Treated in United States Hospital Emergency Departments: National Estimates of Incident Cases, Population-Based Poisoning Rates, and Product Involvement. Pediatrics, 122(6), 1244–1251. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2007-3551

10. Gioia, D. (2021). A Systematic Methodology for Doing Qualitative Research. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 57(1), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886320982715

11. Gomez, T., Anaya, Y. B., Shih, K. J., & Tarn, D. M. (2021). A Qualitative Study of Primary Care Physicians’ Experiences With Telemedicine During COVID-19. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34(Supplement), S61–S70. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2021.S1.200517

12. Grieve, R., Woodley, J., Hunt, S. E., & McKay, A. (2021). Student fears of oral presentations and public speaking in higher education: A qualitative survey. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 45(9), 1281–1293. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1948509

13. He, B., Prasad, S., Higashi, R. T., & Goff, H. W. (2019). The art of observation: A qualitative analysis of medical students’ experiences. BMC Medical Education, 19(1), 234. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1671-2

14. Hui, T. K. L., Mohammed, B., Donyai, P., McCrindle, R., & Sherratt, R. S. (2020). Enhancing Pharmaceutical Packaging through a Technology Ecosystem to Facilitate the Reuse of Medicines and Reduce Medicinal Waste. Pharmacy, 8(2), 58. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy8020058

15. Jamshed, S. (2014). Qualitative research method-interviewing and observation. Journal of Basic and Clinical Pharmacy, 5(4), 87. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-0105.141942

16. Kędra, J., & Žakevičiūtė, R. (2019). Visual literacy practices in higher education: What, why and how? Journal of Visual Literacy, 38(1–2), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/1051144X.2019.1580439

17. Dial, L. A. (2021). Are Fruit Snacks Like Fruit? Children’s and Parents’ Evaluations of Deceptive Packaged Foods. (Cited as per provided information).

Explore related research

Similar Articles

1-10 of 89

Search the journal

Find articles by title, author or keyword.