A survey on the consumer preferences for Korean rice cake packaging in the Seoul metropolitan area

In this study we surveyed the packaging preferences of consumers for Korean rice cakes as current commercial products in Korea. The questionnaire was developed from a preliminary investigation of typical rice cake packaging patterns and sent to 2332 residents in Korea by random sampling mail. The questionnaire contained questions on the preferences of interior design in packaging, opening methods, individually separated types, printing position, packaging methods, and packaging materials such as paper and plastic. There were responses from 304 residents. The collected data was analyzed by an SPSS package program. Most of the packaging used for Korean rice cakes was plastic (58.9%) which was used for packaging materials and stretch wrap (42.9%) as packing methods. The results showed the preference was the perforated line type used by hand for opening a packaging and interior packaging design with 2~3 partitions. Most respondents expressed an interest in using individual packaging and having printing directly on the packaging. Also, the respondents preferred the packaging design that let them see the contents of a package. Based on the results of the questionnaire, this paper suggested that most consumers would prefer to choose a packaging system with a partition design in a plastic container, individually separated products, and a transparent container for Korean rice cakes. The results of packaging preferences could provide important information for suitable packaging development for Korean rice cakes. Further research shouldbeconductedtoimprove the shelf life of Korean rice cakes with functional packaging systems such as modified atmosphere packaging or anti-microbial packaging.