When Generic Brands Look Premium: Can Packaging Advance Food Equity?

At my local Walmart, I noticed non-name-brand items looking sleek, modern, and upscale—mirroring higher-end brands. But this isn’t just style: if affordable foods feel premium, could that change how we eat—and even support food equity?

The Power of Packaging Perception

Packaging color and design significantly influence consumer perceptions of healthfulness and taste. Studies have shown that light-colored packaging leads to higher healthiness perceptions but lower tastiness perceptions and purchase intention. Additionally, attractive packaging can activate the brain's reward pathways, including the nucleus accumbens and orbitofrontal cortex, enhancing the overall consumer experience. PMCPMC

Food Equity, Mental Health & Dignity

When budget-friendly options look premium, they do more than compete—they shift emotional experiences. Elevated packaging can foster dignity and reduce stigma, especially among lower-income consumers, by making them feel good about their choices. This approach can also positively influence children's relationship with healthy foods, boosting their confidence and reducing social stigma.

Retail Strategy Meets Equity

Retailers like Target and Walmart are investing in premium-looking private labels because it works. Target's Up & Up rebrand introduced vibrant, approachable designs that appeal to value-conscious shoppers. Walmart's Bettergoods line, launched in 2024, offers culinary-inspired products priced under $5, aiming to compete with premium brands while promoting food equity. Walmart Corporate News and Information

Can Packaging Encourage Healthier Eating?

Attractive packaging may encourage healthier choices, but design alone doesn't replace the need for systemic equity. While appealing packaging can nudge consumers toward healthier options, affordability, education, and access to nutritious foods are crucial components of promoting better eating habits.

Conclusion

Packaging is more than aesthetics—it’s emotional, cultural, and increasingly, equitable. By making affordable food feel desirable, retailers are doing more than trading down—they’re helping reshape how we feel about what we eat. In the end, food equity isn’t just having good food—it’s feeling good about it, too.