Packaging features and purchasing decisions: strengthening the local home-based products / Nurul Hidayana Mohd Noor and Amirah Mohamad Fuzi

Packaging is an unwitting marketing key that protects the product from damage and provides visual impact, uniqueness, and brand image on the sales shelf. The purpose of this study is to identify the influence of innovative packaging on consumer purchasing decisions. The findings are used to communicate the importance of product packaging to women entrepreneurs involved in the Dapur Mawar project and to formulate new designs for the participants. Dapur Mawar is a startup incubator, a program through which early-stage home-based entrepreneurs are empowered to form, grow, and succeed. A survey instrument in the form of an online questionnaire has been developed. The responses from 187 participants revealed that packaging attributes affect consumer purchase decisions, and features considered at the point of purchase were ranked as the top features. As implications for women entrepreneurs, packaging and product presentation are essential in empowering the food industry in the country or the global market. It adds value to products, which acts as a strategic tool to compete with competitors in the market. The recommendations for future studies are also highlighted in the final section.