1.1         Background of the Study

Various sensory, environmental, psychological, and cultural factors influence human food selection, however, visual appearance, in particular colour, is one of the most direct and significant any factor which affects first impressions. Out of all senses, vision reacts quickest to a stimulus, which means that a person can estimate a food product in milliseconds in terms of its colour, brightness, and contrast (Spence, 2015). Young adults and adolescents are a vulnerable population since they are most susceptible to visual advertising, digital platforms, and fast- evolving eating standards. This demographic often eats fast foods, packaged snacks, artificially coloured drinks, and presentable desserts that greatly depend on the colour perception to create a desire and a feeling of freshness or flavour (Bryant et al., 2019).

 

Colour-based food perception has become more potent in modern society where social media sites like Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube glorify the pictures of food that is enhanced with colour. Young adults and teenagers are regularly exposed to food influencers, shiny colour filters, and beautiful display of food, which subsequently influence their stomachs and their food

 

habits on unconscious levels. Thus, the analysis of the intersection of youth food decisions and colour psychology is necessary to combat nutritional imbalance and unhealthy food habits that have become widespread in most parts of the world.

 

1.2         Colour Psychology and Human Perception

Colour psychology involves the study of the evocative emotional, cognitive and behavioural effects of different colours. Elliot and Maier (2014) argued that colours prompt the psychological process which may affect both motivation and arousal levels and judgement consciously or unconsciously. Red, orange, and yellow are warm colours, which are linked to excitement, energy, and stimulating appetite. These colours raise the speed of heart rate, increase attention and the urge to eat, that is why they are so common in fast-food chain restaurants all over the world (Kaya and Epps, 2004). On the contrary, cool colours such as blue and green give the impression of calmness, freshness, and loss of appetite. Even blue is considered to decrease cravings as blue color is rarely seen in food and can be an indication of spoilage or poisonousness (Piqueras-Fiszman and Spence, 2015).

 

In addition, colours affect the sense of taste. An example is that red cues tend to enhance the perception of sweetness but darker colours may be an indication of bitterness or richness. Such psychological connections are acquired by culture, practice and evolutionary inclinations. Therefore, colour represents a non-verbal communication system which is much more influential in human perception even before the actual tasting takes place.

 

1.3         Food Choices, Eating Behaviour, and Visual Cues

The choice of food does not wholly depend on nutrition or hunger. Visual stimuli, particularly colour generate expectations of taste, intensity of flavour, freshness and quality of food. Research indicates that the perceived sweetness or intensity of flavour of a drink or dessert may dramatically change upon a change in the colour of the drink or dessert even though the taste remains unchanged (Spence, 2015). Being young adults and adolescents and having impulsive choices when it comes to food, they are more focused on the appearance and less on the food information, which is why they are extremely sensitive to food that promotes a beautiful look.

 

Portion size estimation, cravings and emotional eating are also subject to visual cues. Foods with bright colours, particularly red and bright yellow, could be seen as an inducement or hedonic eating, whereas more muted or pastel colours could be connected with healthier or less calorie food. Furthermore, colour improves the retrieval of memory in that the young people can use the same brand or food again and again due to the impression of the appealing colour (Singh, 2006). As people are exposed to increased amounts of digital information, these visual images get deeply ingrained into the eating behaviour patterns and ultimately influences the dietary habits.

 

1.4         Colour Influence in Food Marketing/Packaging

The strategic manipulation of consumer attention and brand improvements and purchase decisions is a well-known tactic which marketing agencies intentionally employ through colour as a potent tool. Aslam (2006) argues that the colour packaging is selected depending on its capacity to convey the product qualities within a short period of time. As an example, yellow colour indicates happiness and swiftness, red means sweet or bold taste, green means nature or organicness, and blue is predominantly used in diets or products associated with a refreshed feeling. Brands of foods knowingly use colour schemes that psychologically agree with the consumer expectations.

 

Youths and young adults are also the most susceptible to such colour-based tactics since they often consume packaged food stuffs, soft drinks, ice soft drinks, and fast-food restaurants. The popularity of such brands as Coca-Cola (red), McDonalds (red-yellow), Subway (green-yellow), and Pepsi (blue) proves the important role of colour in brand identity, as well as the purchase behaviour of young people (Labrecque and Milne, 2013). Moreover, social media marketing enhances these visual effects where food products are coloured and thus more attractive to young people who like to post such pictures on Instagram.

 

1.5         Problem Statement

The existing research sheds light on the effect of colour on overall consumer perception and sensory assessment, but on the one hand, little empirical studies on the topic have been done concentrating on the age group, the most vulnerable to visual advertisement and colour- associated food queues, teenagers, and young adults. Due to the rising cases of lifestyle diseases, unhealthy eating habits, and the use of ultra-processed foods by the younger population, there is a need to understand how psychological factors such as colour influence their decision-making. There is a distinct disconnect between colour perceptions and eating patterns, emotional triggers and buying decisions in this demographic in real life. The proposed research attempts to fill this knowledge gap by focusing on the psychology of colour and its effects on the selection of foods and eating behaviour of adolescents and young adults.

 

1.7         Purpose of the Study

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which different colour cues impact the food choices, perceptions, and eating behaviours of adolescents and young adults. The study aims to analyse:

•             How specific colours influence appetite, cravings, and perceived taste;

•             How packaging colours affect purchase decisions;

•             How colour-based emotional responses shape food consumption behaviour among the youth demographic.

The study intends to provide meaningful insights for health professionals, educators, food marketers, and policymakers.

 

1.8         Research Questions / Hypotheses Research Questions

1.           What is the influence of colour on food choices among adolescents and young adults?

2.           What emotions and perceptions do adolescents and young adults associate with different food-related colours?

3.           How does packaging colour affect purchase intention in this demographic group?

4.           What role does colour play in shaping appetite, cravings, and overall eating behaviours?

Hypotheses

H1: There is a significant relationship between colour cues and food selection among adolescents and young adults.

H2: Warm colours (red, orange, yellow) positively influence appetite and cravings more than cool colours (blue, green).

H3: Packaging colour significantly influences purchase intention among adolescents and young adults.

 

1.9         Significance of the Study

The research is important not only in the academic realm but in the social and business realms. Academically, it adds to the increasing body of research of sensory marketing and colour psychology as it gives empirical data on a young population. In social terms, the research provides information that can guide nutritionists and educators to develop interventions to decrease the instances of poor diets that are influenced by visual stimuli. The young generation is very susceptible to the marketing psychological impacts, and such studies play a significant role in the development of specific awareness programmemes.

 

In the case of the food industry, the results can inform responsible design practices in the fields of packaging, branding, and advertising. The study can also help policymakers realise the necessity of having regulations on colour-based advertisement to young consumers. This study, therefore, fills the gap between the psychological theory and the food behaviour patterns in reality.

 

1.10       Scope and Limitations

The research is aimed at adolescents and youths between the age of 13-25 years, since they are the most receptive to colour-based marketing and feelings of touch and touch. It also explores how perception, appetite and behaviour are affected by food and packaging colours. The research fails to examine other sensory institutions like aroma, texture or sound. The information will be collected with the main use of questionnaires, which can lead to subjective bias or social desirability. In generalisability of findings to the target region, cultural differences in colour interpretation may also be of significance. Nevertheless, these constraints do not mean the study does not provide a valuable basis to study the effect of visual stimuli on the youth eating habits.

 

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The psychology of colour has become a significant field of study in the explanation of the role played by visual representations in human behavioural changes more so with regards to the selection of foods. According to early theoretical research, preference and interpretation of colour is a result of both biological processes as well as uncoded associations. Palmer and Schloss (2010) have shown that positive or negative preferences towards colours occur because of ecological experiences, and that the colours that tend to yield positive results are subject to favourable perception. This theoretical premise emphasizes the fact that colour responses are not arbitrary but are an outcome of cognitive and emotional conditioning over time.

 

Studies on emotional and cognitive reactions to colour are consistently reproducible with the colour acting as automatic affective stimuli of the decision-making process. Mehta and Zhu (2009) discovered that red stimulates arousal and vigilance whereas blue stimulates calmness and creativity. These feelings then affect behavioural patterns and food behaviour is one of them. Kuller et al. (2009) also found out that the saturation and brightness of colour affects the mood states, which form part of appetite regulation and impulse buying. These results demonstrate that colour can produce emotional resonance which may affect the attraction or repulsion of various foods in individuals to a great extent.

 

A large amount of sensory science studies points to the fact that colour is a strong factor in influencing the flavour perceptions, appetite, and food acceptance. Zampini et al. (2007) showed that the perceived sweetness in non-alcoholic beverages could be increased or decreased by changes in colour of beverages, even though the actual flavour did not change. Hutchings (2011) reiterated that food appearance particularly colour pre-tasting sensory expectation has an effect on perception of freshness and quality. It has also been demonstrated through experiments that colours of red and orange increase the intensity of perceived flavour, and blue and green decrease appetite (Gueguen, 2012). These sensory links are more effective especially among adolescents and young adults who extensively rely on visual evaluation in choosing foods.

 

Research that specifically examines food behaviour among adolescents and young adults has pointed to the high influence of visual appeal based on colour. The social media has a significant effect on modern youth, whose exposure to visually boosted, saturated food images is omnipresent. Sharps and Robinson (2015) discovered that the perceived eating norms, which depend on visual information, have a strong influence on the food preferences of young adults. Holmberg et al. (2020) also included in the list of causes of changed eating habits and more frequent snacking habits in adolescents; digital marketing, such as colourful ads and edited photos of food. Foods that are not only colourful but also aesthetically appealing are thus more likely to be selected as opposed to healthier foods that are not aesthetically appealing but rather are visually neutral, which supports hedonic eating.

 

Colour is as well a key ingredient in the presentation of food. It has been demonstrated that plate colour changes the perception of portions and food appeal. Piqueras-Fiszman et al. (2012) have indicated that the perception of food eaten on white plates to be sweeter and tastier, whereas the high contrast of the plate colour inaccurately quantifies the food to be eaten. Van Doorn et al. (2017) discover that red plates may deter consumption, possibly because of the danger or inhibition linked with the color. These results are very applicable to adolescents and young adults who tend to eat in aesthetically pleasing locations like cafes, restaurants, and social events where the presentation effects on dietary behaviour are very high.

 

Marketing research also reveals that the colour of the packaging is an important factor that influences what consumers expect and intend to buy. Silayoi and Speece (2007) demonstrated that the design of packaging components such as colour is fundamental in attracting attention and passing on information about a product in a brief moment. The youthful populations are more likely to buy the product through impulse purchasing due to the vivid colour packaging. Garber et al. (2008) concluded that consumers linked particular colours with anticipated flavors and quality of ingredients, e.g. yellow colour with citrus and green colour with naturalness. Grunert et al. (2010) have indicated that colour-coded nutrition labels have an effect on a perceived healthiness but the attractive packaging colours tend to counterbalance the rational analysis of the nutrition information especially in the case of the youth who are easily influenced by visual advertisements.

 

The cross-cultural studies show that colour perceptions are very different in different regions but they always influence food expectations. Madden et al. (2000) established that the colour interpretations vary across cultures, and that this has an effect on the acceptance and preference of coloured foods. Wan et al. (2015) found some differences between cultures in colour-taste correspondences as they are affected by exposure of adolescents to cultural norms, local cuisines, and regional marketing affect their perceptions of food colour. Nevertheless, colour is universally powerful when it comes to creating anticipations in terms of taste, quality, and safety.

 

The role of colour in the consumption of food is escalated by digital media. Reichenberger et al. (2020) demonstrated that a digitally improved image of food elicits a higher level of craving and an increased desire to eat energy-dense food. The adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable to the manipulation of colours by filters and editing software since they are one of the most prolific social media users. The digitisation of food increases the natural colour of food and tries to present it as fresher, sweeter or more decadent than it would be in real life, creating unrealistic expectations and encouraging people to consume more.

 

All in all, the literature shows that colour has a considerable impact on the emotional reactions, taste expectations, level of appetite, the food presentation, marketing efficiency, and patterns of food consumption, as experienced online. Nevertheless, there are loopholes in terms of how these colour-instigated reactions actually affect actual eating habits of adolescents and young adults in real life situations- a highly vulnerable age group in terms of visual acuity and nutritional susceptibility. The majority of current research is dedicated to general consumers, controlled experiments, or cross-cultural interpretations with no gap of comprehending the effect of colour on the youth eating behaviour in social and digitally dynamic settings. This is a good reason to carry out a comprehensive study on the influence of colour psychology in food preferences and food consumption habits among this target market.

 

RESEARCH GAP

Available literature demonstrates that, colour affects taste perception, emotional response, and consumer behaviour however, very little has been conducted on adolescents and young adults who are very impressionable and exposed to visual food cues the most. Majority of researchers look at the colour effects in a controlled laboratory environment or between general adult groups, whereas there is limited information on how colour affects the eating patterns in the real life amongst young populations (Spence and Piqueras-Fiszman, 2014).

 

The study is also mostly dedicated to packaging and flavour perception, and the role of digital media and food images with colour effects on the food desires of young people is under- investigated (Reichenberger et al., 2020). Besides, prior research indicates that cultural differences on colour-food relationship exist but their effect on the dietary choices of adolescents has not been sufficiently examined (Madden et al., 2000).

 

On the whole, more investigations should be conducted in this area that would combine psychological, behavioural, and marketing views on the food preferences and consumption habits of adolescents and young adults in a real-life situation.

 

3.           Research Methodology

This research paper takes a systematic approach to the study methodology in order to review the effects of the psychology of colour on the food preferences and eating habits of adolescents and young adults. In this chapter, the research design, population, sampling method, data collection instruments, variables, data analysis methods, and ethical issues were outlined.

 

3.1         Research Design

The research design adopted was a descriptive and cross-sectional study design to ensure the perceptions, preferences, and behaviours of the respondents were captured at a given time. The design fits well due to the fact that it enables the researcher to quantify the association between colour cues and food preferences without interfering with any variables. Descriptive design is popular in behavioural and consumer research since it helps to investigate natural reactions to environmental factors like colour (Creswell and Creswell, 2018).

 

3.2         Population and Study Area

This study will use the population of adolescents and young adults between the ages of 13-25 years. The selection of this age group is due to the fact that it is the most exposed to digital media, food promotion and attractive food images and therefore they are more vulnerable to the effects of colour psychology. The localities covered by the study will comprise urban and semi- urban areas to allow the researcher to have variation in the exposure and consumer behaviour patterns.

 

3.3         Sampling Technique and Sample Size

Participants were selected by convenience sampling which is because of the availability and participation of respondents in the target group. Convenience sampling offers convenient benefits due to the widely spread population which is heterogeneous in terms of behaviour and thus allows a good collection of data within a short period of time.

 

The overall number of respondents is 120, which is not too big to perform the descriptive and correlational analysis with statistics. A sample size of above 100 is usually thought to be suitable when it comes to behavioural research that requires perception and preference research (Etikan, Musa, and Alkassim, 2016).

 

3.4         Tools of Data Collection

Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed based on existing literature related to colour psychology, food marketing, and eating behaviour. The questionnaire consisted of four sections:

1.           Demographic information

2.           Colour preferences and emotional associations

3.           Influence of colour on food choices and purchase intentions

4.           Eating behaviour patterns related to visual cues

A five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree) was used for attitudinal statements to measure respondents’ perceptions more accurately.

 

3.5         Variables of the Study

The study includes both independent and dependent variables:

•             Independent Variable:

o            Colour psychology factors (warm colours, cool colours, colour saturation, contrast, packaging colour)

•             Dependent Variables:

o            Food choices

o            Eating behaviours

o            Purchase intentions

o            Appetite or craving levels

These variables were selected based on theoretical models that show colour’s effects on emotional, sensory, and behavioural responses (Hutchings, 2011).

 

3.6         Data Collection Procedure

The questionnaire was administered both online (Google Forms) and offline to ensure wider participation. Respondents were informed about the objective of the study, and participation was voluntary. To increase accuracy, each participant was shown a small set of coloured food images to help them respond based on actual visual cues rather than memory.

 

3.7         Data Analysis Techniques

Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the collected data.

•             Descriptive Statistics: Frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviation were used to summarise demographic characteristics and general trends in colour-food associations.

•             Inferential Statistics:

o            Correlation analysis to examine the relationship between colour cues and food choices.

o            Regression analysis to determine the predictive influence of colour on purchase intention and eating behaviour.

o            t-tests/ANOVA (if needed) to analyse group differences across age and gender. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS or Microsoft Excel.

 

3.8         Reliability and Validity of Instruments

Cronbach’s alpha test was applied to check the internal consistency of the questionnaire. A score above 0.70 was considered acceptable for reliability. Content validity was ensured through expert review by faculty members and researchers in psychology, marketing, and nutrition fields.

 

3.9         Ethical Considerations

In the collection of the data, ethical constraints were strictly observed. The respondents were given anonymity, confidentiality and voluntary participation. No individual identifying data were taken. Agreement with parental knowledge was obtained by people below the age of 18 years. The research implemented traditional institutional ethical practices.