In the process of making decisions about purchasing specific food products, consumers pay attention to various factors characterizing the food itself, as well as the terms of sale, labelling, price (Kumar & Kapoor, 2017), taste, brand, product appearance or food quality (Gelici-Zeko et al., 2013; Eldesouky & Mesías, 2014). In developed countries, the influence of advertising campaigns on the choice of food products is also noted (Prowse et al., 2020). Research shows that consumers indicate food packaging as one of the primary sources of information about food (Gutkowska & Ozimek, 2005; Alibabić et al., 2011), and this information function of packaging is now becoming more and more critical for consumers.

The labelling of products placed on the market, including food, must include mandatory information, the presence of which on the packaging results from applicable legal provisions. In the EU countries, Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 generally regulates issues related to the labelling, advertising and presentation of food. As emphasized in this legal act, the advertising and presentation of food and feed products, taking into account their appearance, shape, and packaging, as well as the arrangement and place of display and the information provided about them, may not provide consumers with incorrect information. In this respect, detailed rules for food labelling are set out in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011, which defines food information as “information about a food made available to the final consumer using a label, other accompanying materials or other means, including modern technological tools or oral communication’ (p. 3). Food labelling, in turn, includes “any inscriptions, particulars, trademarks, brand names, illustrations or symbols relating to a food and affixed to any packaging, document, leaflet, label, band or ring accompanying such food or relating to it’ (Regulation…, 2011, p. 4). Also important are the requirements regarding hygienic conditions related to the sale of products, which are regulated in particular by EU regulations such as: Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs; and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin.

A product’s price should also be clearly displayed at the point of sale. This issue is regulated in Poland by the Act of May 9, 2014 on information on prices of goods and services (Act…, 2014), which implements Directive 98/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of February 16, 1998, on consumer protection by displaying the prices of products offered to consumers, together with the implementing act, i.e. the Regulation of the Minister of Development and Technology of December 19, 2022, on the visibility of prices of goods and services (Regulation…, 2022).

The modern consumer is becoming more and more open to trying different product categories at regional, national, European, and global levels (Angowski & Jarosz-Angowska, 2020). Research shows that food shopping habits are influenced, among other factors, by age, gender, place of residence, and education level (Aday & Yener, 2014; Grande Covián et al., 2014; de Lourdes Samaniego-Vaesken et al., 2018; Bassola et al., 2020; Lima et al., 2021). Moreover, the young generation, representing the future of society, seems to have a completely different approach and different ideas than the older generation (Kanchanapibul et al., 2014).

In this study, we resolved to concentrate on young buyers, who constitute an essential group for the development of Poland’s economy – given that people between 18 and 34 years of age constitute over 18% of the population (Statistics Poland, 2021). However, the definitions of ‘young consumers’ used in previous research vary. For example, Solomon (2017) identifies young consumers as individuals up to 24 years old, whereas other publications define them as individuals up to 35 years old, such as Bakewell & Mitchell (2003), Olejniczuk-Merta (2008), Nyrhinen et al. (2024). In his research, Arnett (2000) focused on young consumers aged 18–25. He emphasized that this period of life, which he termed ‘emerging adulthood,’ is neither adolescence nor early adulthood and differs both theoretically and empirically. This stage is characterized by intense identity exploration and experimentation with various social roles, translating into specific consumer behaviors. Following Arnett’s (2000) research, we focused on the 18–25 age group of young consumers.

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of selected factors on the purchase of food by young consumers, using the CAWI method (computer-assisted Internet interview technique). The survey was created in Google Forms, an online survey collection tool.

2. Materials and method

The survey was conducted in October-November 2020, using purposive sampling. Participants were specifically selected based on two criteria: age (18–25 years) and their status as students. It was administered online via a publicly accessible Google Forms questionnaire, which included both the research questions and additional questions regarding the respondents’ demographic and socio-economic characteristics.

The study used a 5-point Likert scale to gauge the extent to which a given respondent pays attention to particular selected factors when purchasing food (a score of 1 indicating no attention to this factor at all, a score of 5 indicating high attention to this factor). We treat the ordinal scales as quasi-quantitative scales for analytical purposes, calculating means and standard deviations (SD) via descriptive analysis. The reliability of the scales was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, which was 0.829 – indicating satisfactory reliability (as indicated by values above 0.7)

To investigate the complexity of factors determining consumers’ food choices, we examined the validity of selected 17 elements related to food product characteristics and conditions of food sales. The following factors were analysed: the food storage method at the store, the storage conditions, appropriate hygienic conditions at the point of sale, food price, the appearance, taste and smell of the product, the condition of the product packaging, and general information appearing on the food product packaging – country of origin, energy/nutritional value of the food product, product weight/volume, product composition, nutrient content (e.g. proteins, carbohydrates), shelf life/date of minimum durability, the ecological origin of the product, manufacturer, and brand.

A 5-point scale was likewise used in subsequent questions in the questionnaire: a score of 1 meant that the respondent “completely disagrees’ with a given statement, 2 – “generally disagrees’; 3 – “neither agrees nor disagrees’, 4 – “generally agrees’, and a score of 5 – “completely agrees’.

Factor and cluster analyses, common in consumer research, were applied to analyse the resulting data. First, factor analysis was used to identify the relationship between the factors, applying the varimax rotation method. The number of factors was determined based on the following criteria: a scree plot test, components with an eigenvalue of 1, and the interpretability of the factors. Factors with loadings above 0.40 were considered. Data factorability was confirmed with the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) (with a cut-off value of 0.60) measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (p ≤ 0.05).

In the second step of analysis, non-hierarchical clustering was performed to obtain segments of respondents, using the k-means clustering method. Clusters are formed by evaluating dissimilarities and similarities of intrinsic characteristics between different cases. We calculated the correlation ratio (CR) for each variable applied in our cluster analysis and conducted cross-tabulation with Chi2-statistics to profile the clusters. SPSS for Windows statistical software (9.0 version) was used for statistical analysis.

The questionnaire also included questions about the respondents’ demographic characteristics, such as gender, labour market status, number of people in the household, self-assessment of the household’s financial status, and place of residence. These detailed characteristics of the respondents are presented in Table 1.

The study involved 702 student participants, all between 18 and 25 years old, 63.4% women and 36.6% men. Most often, respondents lived in households of 4 or 3 people (31.5% and 21.5%, respectively). The respondents were least likely to declare that they lived in single-person households and those with 6 or more people (7.7% and 8.4%, respectively). Two-fifths of respondents (42.9%) were gainfully employed, 57.1% were not employed. At the same time, almost half of the respondents (48.1%) described the financial situation of their household as good, while one-third (34.9%) described it as average. The respondents represented places of residence of various sizes, most often declaring that they lived in a city with a population of over 100,000 inhabitants (36.9%) and rural areas (35.5%).

3. Results

The most respondents declared that when shopping for food, they pay attention primarily to the price (mean score 4.43) and the use-by date / date of minimum durability (mean 4.42). Factors such as the ‘taste and aroma’ of a food product (mean 4.37), ‘condition of packaging’ (mean 4.35), ‘appearance’ (4.34), and ‘hygienic conditions’ (4.24) also achieved an average above four (Table 2).

The factor ‘information on the packaging’ obtained a mean score of 3.86. The respondents least often indicated such factors as ‘organic origin’ (2.86) and ‘country of origin’ (2.76) (Table 2).

3.1. Factors influencing food choice

Exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the observed variables. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value was 0.808. The result indicated that the choice of analysis and the number of factors were correct. The result of Bartlett’s test of sphericity x2 = 3985.855, p ≤ 0.01, indicated that correlations between items were high enough to perform the analysis.

EFA was conducted using maximum likelihood extraction with varimax rotation (Table 3), extracting four factors. It was assumed that the components of the coefficient are those variables that, after rounding, obtain absolute values equal to 0.4 or greater. All factors were identified with an eigenvalue higher than the Kaiser criterion 1. The first factor’s eigenvalue is 4.665, which explains 27.44% of the variance. The second factor’s eigenvalue equals 2.343, which explains 13.78% of the variance. The third factor’s eigenvalue equals 1.630, which explains 9.59% of the variance. The fourth factor`s eigenvalue equals 1.214, which explains 7.14% of the variance. All four factors taken together explained 57.95% of the total variance.

The first factor, summarizing five variables, was positively correlated with the tendency of respondents to read food labels and pay attention to product composition, hence it was named ‘Information’. The second factor, summarizing four variables, was positively related to variables expressing interest in the conditions associated with storing food at the point of sale and paying attention to the use-by date/date of minimum durability on the food product packaging. For this reason, this factor was labelled ‘Hygiene and food safety’. The third factor explains four variables and was named ‘Product appearance and price’. Lastly, the fourth factor summarizes four variables, relating to respondents’ interest in the purchased food brand, its origin, and information about organic production, hence it was named ‘Origin’ (Table 3).

3.2. The influence of food choice factors on the respondents’ profile

For the whole surveyed population, 5 clusters were identified, each representing from 5.98% to 30.77% of the surveyed population (Table 4). Cluster 2 represents 27.92% of all respondents. In Cluster 2, the highest average value was obtained for 15 of the 17 variables. Only in the case of three factors, ‘price’, ‘appearance’, and ‘energy value’, were higher average values recorded in other clusters (‘price’ in Cluster 5; ‘appearance’ in Cluster 3; ‘energy value’ in Cluster 4). Cluster 1 had the lowest mean values for 14 factors out of 17. The reported averages range from 1.33 ‘storage conditions’ to 2.25 ‘nutrient content’. The largest spreads in average values were recorded for Cluster 5, representing 13.82% of all respondents. They ranged from 1.56 for the variable ‘energy value’ to 4.55 for the value ‘price’. Cluster 3 represents 30.77% of the surveyed population, and Cluster 4 represents 21.52%. In Cluster 3, the highest average value (4.54) was recorded for the factor ‘use-by date/date of minimum durability’. In turn, the lowest average value (2.29) was exhibited by the factor ‘nutrient content’. In Cluster 4, the lowest average was recorded for the factors ‘manufacturer’ and ‘organic origin’ (2.23) (Table 4).

Analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics showed that Cluster 1 consists most predominantly of females and unemployed people. Of all the clusters, the percentage of unemployed people was the highest in this cluster (Table 5).

None of the respondents in Cluster 1 described their financial situation as ‘very good’, and 16.7% stated that their financial situation was ‘bad’. The highest percentages of men and employed individuals are found in Cluster 4; the percentage of respondents living in the largest cities was also the highest in this cluster. The respondents in Cluster 3 most often declared that they lived in rural areas and had a very good financial situation. Cluster 2 includes mainly respondents living in households of 5 or more people. Compared to other clusters, we note the highest percentage of respondents declaring a very bad financial situation in this cluster. Cluster 5 consists predominantly of women, respondents with good financial situations and those living in four-person households (Table 5).

4. Discussion

Food selection is a complex process affecting food production systems and consumer nutrient intake, as it determines what foods consumers buy and eat (Furst et al., 1996). As such, understanding what motivates basic food choices is essential from the perspective of food development and marketing efforts. In our study, factors such as packaging information, hygiene, and food safety emerged as significant determinants of food purchasing decisions among young Polish consumers, giving some insight into what drives their food choices.

Su et al.’s (2019) study of Gen Z consumers in the United States found them to be much more knowledgeable about sustainable lifestyles than previous generations, typically prioritising their health when making food choices. Our findings similarly suggest that young Polish consumers are increasingly attentive to health-related aspects like hygiene and the nutritional content displayed on packaging, indicating a shift towards health consciousness in their purchasing behaviour. This moreover parallels Kumar & Kapoor’s (2017) findings that young consumers in India place considerable importance on food labels, mirroring the behaviour observed in our study where information on packaging plays a crucial role.

On the other hand, Allman-Farinelli et al. (2016) found that young people prefer and overconsume unhealthy foods because they are tastier than their healthier alternatives. The present study, on the contrary, suggests a more balanced consideration involving both health and sensory attributes like taste and appearance. This could indicate a cultural variation or an evolving trend among younger demographics who are seeking to balance taste with health considerations.

Moreover, such differences in the findings reported by studies on food choice priorities may reflect gender-related differences or broader regional consumer behaviour trends. Alibabić et al. (2011), for instance, found that product packaging, manufacturer, and product quality were the main determinants for Bosnian male consumers when deciding whether to buy food. Studies such as those by Lawlor et al. (2001) and Wardle & Griffith (2001) suggest that men may prioritize taste and convenience – a trend not strongly evidenced in our study’s young Polish demographic, which displayed a more balanced set of priorities encompassing price, hygiene, and information.

The place where consumers live also has an impact on their food choices. This factor may also be linked to economic status and affect food availability (Samaniego-Vaesken et al., 2018; Grande Covián et al., 2014). On the other hand, other studies show that a globalised market, which includes the distribution of a wide range of staple foods, regardless of their origin, reduces the gap in food purchases and consumption between urban and rural areas (Martín et al., 2014; Naska et al., 2006).

In our study, the origin of products was found to be the least important factor in food choices for young Polish consumers. This contrasts with findings from Turčínková and Kalábová (2011), who concluded that the origin of food plays a vital role in Czech consumers’ purchasing decisions. They found a moderately strong relationship between the age and education of respondents and their tendency to choose local food. Similarly, Brown (2003) noted that the attitude towards local food depends on the origin of the respondents. Additionally, Bimbo et al. (2021) showed that age, education, and professional status positively correlate with high frequency of local food purchases. These differences, again, may reflect varying cultural values or economic conditions that influence consumer priorities in different regions.

5. Conclusions

This study successfully identified several critical determinants influencing food choices among young Polish consumers, achieving the article’s aims as demonstrated by the results. The analyses revealed that consumer choices are influenced by a blend of economic, informational, and aesthetic factors including information on the packaging of food products, hygiene and food safety, the appearance of the product, and its price. Notably, the lessened importance of food origin and the high priority given to product appearance and hygiene suggest a unique profile of young Polish consumers that may differ from global trends. Significant differences were also observed based on gender and place of residence among the clusters identified in the study, emphasizing the complexity of decision-making processes in food purchases.

The selection of a sample consisting only of people aged 18–25 carries limitations regarding representativeness and generalization of research results to a broader population. People aged 18–25 are at a stage of life often related to higher education, the beginning of their professional career, greater mobility, and life changes. They usually have limited professional and financial experience, which may influence their economic decisions and attitudes. People of this age are also often heavy social media and technology users, which may also influence their behaviour. To obtain more universal conclusions, future studies should consider a broader demographic range, including different age groups, to better reflect society’s diversity.

Additionally, food marketers and producers should consider these preferences when designing and marketing their products to the young Polish market, potentially adjusting marketing strategies to emphasize the factors of highest consumer sensitivity, such as packaging information and hygienic conditions.

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Dietary supplements have for years constituted one of the most stable, promising and innovative markets, both in the world and in Poland. Worldwide, the dietary supplements market was valued at USD 96 billion in 2017, with forecasts anticipating a further 6.9% growth over the next five years (https://www.researchandmarkets.com). The growing supply produced by dietary supplement manufacturers is being fuelled by demand from consumers who — in an era of ever-increasing risk of modern-day “diseases of civilization” — are growing increasingly aware of the importance of prevention in protecting their own health. In Poland, the market value is estimated in 2018 at PLN 5.363 billion, while the forecast for 2023 is PLN 6.504 billion (https://www.researchandmarkets.com/). The main reasons for positive forecasts for market development are the increased interest in supplements and the ever-broader range of such products.

From a formal point of view, dietary supplements are not considered medicinal products, although they are very often confused with over-thecounter medications. A dietary supplement has been defined as: “a food which is intended to supplement a normal diet, being a concentrated source of vitamins or minerals or other substances having a nutritional or other physiological effect, single or complex, marketed in a form enabling dosage, excluding products having properties of a medicinal product within the meaning of the provisions of the pharmaceutical law” (Polish Food Safety Act, 2006; EU Food Supplements Directive, 2002). Dietary supplements may contain vitamins and minerals that are naturally present in food and are consumed as part of it, as well as other substances exhibiting a nutritional or other physiological effect (Polish Food Safety Act, 2006).

Unit packages are an integral part of the dietary supplements market (Jamal et al., 2012). In the case of dietary supplements, the packaging primarily protects the packaged product against the negative influence of external factors and enables its distribution in the logistics chain, but it also constitutes a tool for marketing activities (Shah et al., 2013). The potential of dietary supplement packaging (generated by elements such as packaging material, design, closing systems, labelling, colours and graphics) makes them an effective tool for marketing activities (Ankiel-Homa, 2012). From the consumer’s point of view, the product packaging is a source of numerous kinds of necessary information about the supplement, a brand image identifier and one of the main purchasing determinants (Butkeviciene et al., 2008).

Properly designed packaging plays an important role in the purchasing behaviour of consumers, particularly in the process of making purchasing decisions (Granger and Billson, 1972; McDaniel and Baker, 1977; Homer and Gauntt, 1992; Underwood et al., 2001; Kuvykaite et al., 2009; Rambabu and Porika, 2020). From the consumer’s point of view, packaging of dietary supplements is a source of important information about the product, which is of particular importance in the purchasing process (Butkeviciene et al., 2008; Wang, 2013; Bahrainizad and Rajabi, 2018; Bigoin-Gagnan and Lacoste-Badie, 2018). Packaging of dietary supplements must meet increasing requirements — in addition to fulfilling the essential functions (protective, information and transport) it needs to be characterized by modern design, innovative construction and graphic solutions, high utility for consumers and environmental friendliness (Auttarapong, 2012; Casillas, 2013; Ankiel-Homa, et al., 2011).

The key factors favouring the development of packaging on the dietary supplements market include the following (Ankiel and Walenciak, 2018; Ankiel and Sojkin, 2018; Jamal et al., 2012; Grundey, 2010; Lee et al., 2008; Barska and Wyrwa, 2017):

• new trends in consumer behaviour (e.g. increased care for health and appearance) that generate increased consumption of dietary
  supplements;
• an aging society, which results in greater demand for products addressed to senior consumers;
• the development of innovative, self-service sales formats (mainly convenience stores), boosting the demand for modern packaging as an effective tool for creating a product brand and higher sales;
• environmental and ecological trends and requirements driving the development of environmentally friendly packaging;
• the dynamic development of e-commerce, boosting the demand for packaging that projects the image of the product/brand, with high information value and maximally protecting the packed product during transport.

Because, as has been mentioned, packaging is one of the key factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions, the design process for packaging should be carried out simultaneously in relation to the packed product, taking into account the needs and requirements of consumers (Abdullahi, 2018; Moskowitz et al., 2009; Perry and Cochet, 2009). As such, in this study, we resolved to try to better identify the impact of packaging (and its components) on purchasing decisions made by consumers on the dietary supplements market in Poland.

Materials and methods

The main purpose of the study was to identify and evaluate the importance of packaging as a determinant affecting the purchase of selected dietary supplements in Poland. In turn, the specific research objectives were specified as follows:

• identification of factors influencing the selection of tested dietary supplements, taking into account the differences within selected product groups;
• assessment of the importance of unit packaging during purchase;
• identifying the significance of packaging elements and features affecting the purchase decision;
• diagnosis of respondents’ tendency to opt out of purchasing due to inadequate packaging.

The study was conducted using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) online interview method. We considered the 3 categories of dietary supplements which, out of 12,556 products registered in Poland, show the strongest growth in sales (GIS, 2017):

• strengthening the hair, skin and nails;
• containing a magnesium preparation;
• supporting weight loss.

The survey was conducted in the period from April 2017 to May 2019 on a sample of 468 respondents in Poland. Sample selection was by deliberate choice: the survey included consumers declaring systematic consumption of dietary supplements from the studied categories.

The importance of packaging as determinants of the purchase of dietary supplements

The main objective of this study was to diagnose whether packaging is an important purchasing determinant for dietary supplements, to what extent and for which product categories (including any differences between hair, skin and nail strengthening supplements, magnesium supplements and products for slimming). To this end, the respondents were asked about the importance of packaging for them when shopping in each of the product groups studied.

The respondents’ answers showed clear differences by product category: packaging in the purchasing process was reported to be most important in the case of skin, hair and nail strengthening supplements (average 3.54); with weight loss supplements in second place (average 2.92), followed by products containing magnesium (average 2.68). These findings show that, interestingly, unit packaging is most important for consumer decisions when buying products that are directly related to the external appearance of the consumer (strengthen hair, skin and nails, and for weight loss).

The study also sought to identify the importance of packaging in the purchase process of selected dietary supplements against other purchasing factors. The results show noticeable differences between the factors determining the purchase of dietary supplements in various product categories. People looking for magnesium products, i.e. those not directly affecting the appearance of the consumer, but rather bearing upon their health and good physical condition, are most susceptible to the suggestions of pharmacists. For people looking for supplements that support weight loss, recommendations of friends are the most important. In turn, for people looking for products to strengthen the hair, skin and nails, the most important is the price / profitability of the purchase.

The most important factor influencing the choice of the tested dietary supplements strengthening the hair, skin and nails are the product’s features and properties (average 4.42). Next, respondents pointed to the product price (average 4.12), recommendation (average 3.71), advertisement (average 3.44) and a pharmacist’s suggestion (average 3.26).

In the category of dietary supplements supporting slimming, the results are different: most important for the consumer in the purchase process are the product features and properties (average 4.44), price (average 3.69), recommendation (average 3.39), and advertisement (average 3.24). The place of sale was indicated as the least important (average 2.28). On the other hand, in the case of magnesium supplements, the most important purchase determinants are the product features and properties (an average of 4.67 indications), price (average 4.27), recommendations (average 3.48) and advertisement (average 3.26). As the data presented in Table 1 show, for each of the studied groups of dietary supplements, packaging turned out to be a factor of little importance in the purchase process (average 3.06; 2.79; 2.88) compared to other factors definitely more important for the consumer, such as price, product properties or a pharmacist’s suggestion.

Assessment of selected elements and features of dietary supplement packaging

In the course of the study, the significance of elements and features of the tested dietary supplement packaging that influence consumers when shopping was also assessed. The results are presented in Table 2.

Definitely the most important factor for consumers, in each of the product groups studied, is the information on the packaging. Clear packaging containing information relevant to consumers is the most important for people buying supplements. Secondly, the functionality of the packaging is important. In the third and fourth place among the most frequently appearing responses were interchangeable aesthetics of the workmanship or ecological aspects of the packaging. The least important factors are the shape of the packaging and the design of the packaging.

One of the objectives of the study was to investigate answers to the question: “Have you ever decided against buying a dietary supplement because of its inadequate packaging?”. The results indicated that 53.85% of respondents answered this in the negative. One out of every four respondents (26.28% of answers) answered affirmatively, while 19.87% of respondents gave the answer “I don’t recall”. Participants who responded affirmatively were asked to name a maximum of three main reasons for their opting not to make the purchase. The results indicate that by far the most common motive for withdrawing from the purchasing process was a lack of comprehensive product information (56.90% of responses). The next clear indication was illegible information on the packaging (46.55% of responses). Further places were taken by: poor packaging aesthetics (24.14%), impractical closure (24.14%), inadequate capacity (too big / too small; 20.69%). A small percentage of respondents indicated as a reason “packaging difficult to dispose of after use of the product” and “uncomfortable design / packaging shape” (only 6.9%), while “unsuitable packaging material / material” was indicated by 3.45%. The results clearly show that the main negative factor motivating decisions not to follow through with a possible purchase are incorrectly designed packaging of dietary supplements, especially in the product information layer. Product features and properties have been recognized by respondents as one of the key purchasing determinants, so it is important that this information should be correctly, reliably and legibly placed on the packaging of the dietary supplement.

Conclusions and recommendations

Herein we presented some findings from an original study with a selected sample of 468 dietary supplement consumers in Poland, carried out in order to gain more into the role and significance of packaging as a determinant of purchase in relation to three selected categories of dietary supplements. Overall, we found that, in the case of dietary supplements, while unit packaging is not a crucial purchasing determinant (the most important factors being price, product properties and features, and a pharmacist’s recommendation), it is nevertheless still a fairly important factor influencing the selection and purchase of tested products. Moreover, we found that in relation to the three categories of dietary supplements studied, packaging is most important for supplements intended to aid the skin, hair and nails. Close analysis of the individual features and elements of packaging that affect the purchase of the studied categories of dietary supplements showed that the most important factors for consumers are the information placed on the packaging, the functionality of the packaging (e.g. ease of opening / closing) and the aesthetics of the packaging. These factors do not differ in relation to the three categories of dietary supplements analyzed.

Thus, in the case of hair, skin and nail strengthening supplements, the functionality of the packaging turned out to be its most important aspect, and in the case of supplements supporting slimming and magnesium supplements, the information contained therein is the most important element of the packaging in the opinion of consumers. The results of our study indicate that consumers are prone to decide not to buy a dietary supplement if they feel that the preparation has an inadequate packaging (1/4 of respondents have made such a decision). The main reason for withdrawing from a purchase was a lack of reliable and comprehensive information about the product properties on the packaging and inadequate aesthetic values. This very clearly indicates how important it is for the process of designing the visual layer of dietary supplement packaging to be done with due diligence, based on the preferences and expectations of target consumers. The dynamically growing market of dietary supplements globally, as well as in Poland, is giving rise to an ever-greater need for such research revealing more about how consumers perceive dietary supplement packaging, and how such packaging fulfils its various interrelated functions — especially the information function. In the era of the continual development of online and self-service stores, such packaging has become one of the key sources of information about dietary supplements. Our study on the determinants of the choice of dietary supplements within three separate product groups (strengthening the hair, skin and nails; supporting weight loss; containing magnesium) is admittedly only preliminary due to the selection and limited size of the research sample, but it offers a promising prelude to other, more advanced research.

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