Assessing consumer perceptions towards novel packaging formats: Insights from a Home Use Test

Sustainability is driving innovation in the food and beverage industry, nevertheless considering packaging consumers still tend to regard glass as the most appropriate container for certain products, such as wine. Although alternatives like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) could provide more sustainable solutions, they remain poorly accepted, particularly in traditional consumer markets. Building on previous studies that identified strong perceptual and social biases toward non-glass packaging, current research investigates how direct product experience and informational cues shape consumer evaluations and purchase intentions toward wines packaged in PET bottles. A Home Use Test with 201 Italian wine consumers examined perceptions across three stages: (1) expectations based on online exposure, (2) evaluations after tasting, and (3) post-tasting evaluations following exposure to sustainability or convenience information. Results showed that physical interaction with the PET bottle initially lowered perceived sustainability and purchase intention, suggesting that tactile cues may reinforce associations of plastic with low quality. However, after receiving informational cues, especially those emphasizing sustainability, participants' evaluations of purchase intention, convenience, and eco-friendliness significantly improved. Quality perceptions, however, remained stable, highlighting the persistence of traditional quality associations with glass. Regression analyses identified the key factors influencing consumers' purchase intention toward wine in innovative packaging, highlighting the perceptual and individual variables that most strongly drive acceptance of more sustainable packaging solutions. By combining sensory experience and informational communication, this study offers novel insights into consumer acceptance of wine packaged in PET, suggesting that sustainability messaging may partly mitigate skepticism. • 201 Italian consumers evaluated a red wine in a PET bottle in a home use test. • Perceptions were measured in three stages: expectation, tasting, information. • Sustainability perception dropped after tasting wine from the PET bottle. • Evaluations and purchase intention were higher after exposure to information. • Sustainability message was more effective. • Social expectations boosted purchasing intention.