Comparison of organic food packages in Denmark, Finland and Italy

Organic food producers make a range of choices in food packaging to communicate to consumers the organic nature of their products. All elements of packaging, such as packaging material, shape and structure, colors, text, and images are combined and organized in a purposeful manner to deliver the desired visual sales arguments. The objective of this study was to compare packages of organic eggs, meat, fish, and berries, and identify potential common features and differences between them in Denmark, Finland, and Italy. In the latter part, the governmental organic action plans for the same countries were reviewed for their references to and implications for consumer food packaging. The most common packaging material was plastic, followed by molded fiber and glass. The majority of packages were transparent, green, or white. The biggest difference between the countries was observed in the use of national organic logos. The egg cartons had the most variation in use of material and the richest visual designs. Only the Denmark's organic action plan explicitly sets targets for organic food packaging.