I See it and it Becomes Mine: The Effect of Package Windows on Product Preference via Psychological Ownership
(A2025-124524)

AUTHORS

Eva Marckhgott, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business; Bernadette Kamleitner, WU Vienna; Zachary Estes, Cass Business School, City University of London

ABSTRACT

Some food packages hide their content while others allow customers to see the product within. Research on how packaging transparency affects consumers is scarce and has mostly focused on effects on packaging attractiveness and objective information provided by the package. In four studies, we find that consumers prefer food products that can be seen through a transparent window and that this is in part because windows allow consumers to develop psychological ownership for the product. Importantly, we also provide evidence for a relevant boundary condition. The preference for products packaged with a window is reduced when the product is bought for someone else. These insights advance the literature in multiple ways and provide valuable insights for practice.