Research Methods_en269.docx

Introduction Recently, there has been a growing emphasis on healthy eating, with many individuals making efforts to eat more healthily due to this increased attention. Because of this, there is now a greater selection of healthy food items available, and businesses have started adding color to the packaging of their goods to attract more consumers. For instance, the sense of sight often confuses people about the taste of the food (Miquel Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor, 2022, p.414). People expect food to taste like what they see. A different color of food from what people expect makes people conclude that the taste is different. Scientific experiments have found that based on color is an identification of taste, and many people judge the food quality, which affects the decision to purchase (Eng et al., 2022). Generally, if food color does not meet people's expectations, that food is concluded to taste differently. Hence, this study aims to investigate the influence consumers' perceptions of color have on their behaviors and the items they choose to buy regarding healthy eating options. This study is important since it will assist in understanding the extent whereby the color perceptions affect the purchase decisions of consumers. Consequently, the following research questions will be investigated as a means of accomplishing this goal: 1. How does color impact consumers' purchase decisions about healthy food snacks? 2. How do customers interpret the various colors utilized in the packaging of healthy food products? 1

Literature Review 1. Impact of color on purchase decisions Most people know that color affects their perception of food. After all, we always judge food by its color, from checking if the meat is still red to judging that an avocado is ripe when its skin turns dark green. Food color not only warns of physical or chemical changes in food, but it also greatly influences how we taste it and, in some cases, whether we even taste it ( Miquel Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor, 2022, p.416) . Color is so powerful that what our other senses tell us and experience sweetness that doesn't exist, perceive flavors that don't exist, or accept food based solely on its color. Studies by Eng et al. (2022) show that color influences the dining experience differently. For most people, visual information comes first when eating or drinking. Before taking a bite, they see how the food contrasts with the surrounding plates and containers and use their years of experience with similar foods to figure out how the food tastes and how satisfying it is ( Ballco & Gracia, 2022) . On their part, Mazzonetto et al. (2022, p.3898) speculated whether color can, consciously or unconsciously, influence the following psychological aspects of the dining experience. Firstly, People use colors to guess the taste of food. For example, you might think bright red apples are sweet. Often, when the actual taste of a food does not match its expectations, the brain may not notice the difference. For instance, Panda, Masani & Dasgupta (2022, 2

p.147) said that it may replace the expected taste with an existing one or emphasize a milder-than-expected one. Secondly, More or less is consumed, depending on the color and presentation of the food. Likewise, Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor, 2022 noted that white foods like popcorn could unwittingly encourage snacking. Studies show that plate color affects how much people eat. However, more research is needed to determine whether this effect is due to the color or the contrast between the dish and the food. Thirdly, enjoyment and choice of food can also be affected. Brightly colored foods often have better nutrition and taste (Miquel Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor, 2022, p.417). The bright color applies not only to raw fruits and vegetables but also to sweets. 2. Customers’ interpretation of the various colors Off-coloring in food is the color that a consumer does not believe or accept as the true color that that food should have. It can be natural or artificial, but dark color is generally associated with spoilt food. According to Ballco & Gracia (2022) , when doing artificial color to a food item, consumers must avoid negative perceptions of that food because they will often try to avoid colored foods. On the same note, study findings by Mazzonetto et al. (2022, p.3902) provide insight into how color plays an essential role in shaping our perception of food, often overriding other sensory abilities and inconsistent with material reality. Food companies and researchers Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor (2022) have long studied color's role in taste perception to understanding better the impact of color on consumer behavior and product perception. Similarly, food companies take advantage of this psychological effect. For example, food colors or colorings are often added to processed, packaged, and even fresh foods to enhance the 3

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appearance of the food and to ensure a particular taste, aroma, or quality (Eng et al., 2022) . Not forgetting, Miquel Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor (2022 p.418) identified that food manufacturers frequently invest significant resources in determining whether their product's taste and appearance will be well received in the market. According to Mazzonetto et al. (2022, p.3904), the average consumer makes a purchase decision in 3-7 seconds. As a result, it is critical for businesses to capture their customers' attention in such a short period. Food coloring allows consumers to instantly recognize a product's taste, aroma, and freshness ( Panda, Masani & Dasgupta, 2022, p.151) . Color makes foods more informative and appealing to consumers, making it easier to identify the products they want. Colorful foods are also more attractive. Food discoloration is caused by food processing (Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor, 2022). Food coloring is essential in modern industry. In this regard, Miquel Vidal & Castellano-Tejedor (2022 p.420) said that it helps manufacturers compensate for color loss during processing. Additionally, it helps brand development by making products more desirable, engaging consumers, and driving marketing (Eng et al., 2022). As global trade increases, the need for internationally recognized food coloring standards increases. 4

Methodology and Techniques This study will use a qualitative research design to investigate the influence of color perceptions on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions in the context of healthy food products. The ideal primary data collection technique will be a questionnaire survey distributed to 100 young adults aged 20 to 26 currently enrolled in higher education institutions in the United Kingdom. The questionnaire will include questions related to color perceptions and their impact on consumer behavior and decision-making when purchasing healthy food products. The responses will be collected and analyzed using qualitative analysis techniques, which involve coding the data into themes and patterns and interpreting the data to answer the research questions defined by the study. Ethical Considerations The study will adhere to ethical considerations to ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of participants' responses. Participants will be informed of the purpose of the study and their right to withdraw at any time. The data collected will be kept secure and confidential, and only the research team will have access to it. The research findings will be reported in aggregate to protect participants' privacy. Lastly, the participants answers will be deleted in the end of the research. 5

The Timeline Activity April May June July August Literature Review Built Questionnaires Data Collection Data analysis Writing up findings Writing up conclusions 1. Literature review Searching for appropriate pieces of literature, reading and evaluating them, organizing pattern of information, developing subtopic, writing and reviewing the literature review. 2. Built Questionnaires Built the questionnaires by Qualtrics and evaluate the question's content 3. Data collection Collecting data 4. Data Analysis Data will be analyzed by SPSS 6

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5. Writing up findings Remind the reader what the researchers intend to do, present charts and graphs from SPSS, place the data representation into context 6. Writing up conclusions Restating the research topic, restating the objectives/ research question, summarizing the main points of the study 7

References Ballco, P., & Gracia, A. 2022. Tackling nutritional and health claims to disentangle their effects on consumer food choices and behavior: A systematic review. Food Quality and Preference , 104634. Eng, C. W., Lim, S. C., Ngongo, C., Sham, Z. H., Kataria, I., Chandran, A., & Mustapha, F. I. 2022. Dietary practices, food purchasing, and perceptions about healthy food availability and affordability: a cross-sectional study of low- income Malaysian adults. BMC Public Health , 22 (1), 192. Miquel Vidal, M., & Castellano-Tejedor, C. 2022. Identification of Marketing Strategies Influencing Consumers’ Perception of Healthy Food Products and Triggering Purchasing Decisions. Businesses, 2(4), 410-422. Vidal, M. M., & Castellano-Tejedor, C. 2022. Identification of Marketing Strategies Influencing Consumers’ Perception of Healthy Food Products and Triggering Purchasing Decisions. Businesses , 2 (4), 410. Panda, D., Masani, S., & Dasgupta, T. 2022. Packaging-influenced-purchase decision segment the bottom of the pyramid consumer marketplace? Evidence from West Bengal, India. Asia Pacific Management Review, 27(2), 145-153. Mazzonetto, A. C., Fernandes, A. C., de Souza, A. D., Rodrigues, V. M., Scapin, T., Uggioni, P. L., ... & Proença, R. P. D. C. 2022. Front-of-pack nutrition labels: Perceptions and preferences of Brazilian adult consumers. British Food Journal, 124(11), 3888-3906. 8

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