Thinking outside the carton: attitudes towards milk packaging

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumer attitudes towards packaging design as a tactical strategy for increasing the commercial value of liquid milk within the dairy industry.Design/methodology/approach – In total, six focus groups were conducted containing 33 participants and data were analysed using QSR Nvivo 7. Findings were categorised based on the form, function and appearance of packaging design.Findings – Results highlighted that the majority of participants found milk packaging to be functional; however, beyond this use, vast improvement could be made in terms of the aesthetics surrounding packaging design.Research limitations/implications – Even for commodity products the use of packaging transcends beyond a functional role as consumers are becoming more demanding in their attitudes towards packaging design.Practical implications – The study provides insights for managers in relation to opportunities for adding value through packaging design within the liquid milk sector.Originality/value – The paper explores consumer attitudes towards milk packaging to identify possible new market opportunities.