The other day, I was walking down Trader Joe’s isles, looking for plantain chips. I’m not a frequent buyer of these (I prefer to stick to my potatoes) so I wasn’t sure which brand to buy. But, when in doubt, I stuck with the best-designed package.

But that’s just my solution. Other consumers go through different schools of thought when deciding a brand.

There are eco-conscious consumers worried about the footprint they leave behind. These consumers tend to lean toward purchasing products with minimal branding, or choose products with reusable or recyclable packaging. They may even be willing to pay more for products with reusable packaging.

On the other hand, there are consumers that think premium packaging is extremely important to the purchasing decision. These consumers will pay even more for a product because the packaging adds some sort of value to the perception of the product. For instance, consumers will choose to pay more for a wine bottle because the label makes it look more expensive than other wines.

Forty percent of the cost of a product is related to the packaging, according to Chron. This cost is inevitably passed on to the consumer. Price-sensitive consumers will not pay more simply for a label. They will shop for the lowest priced product, regardless of the packaging.

Packaging will always play some role in consumer’s purchase habits. Whether it be perception of the product or brand recognition. The design and placement of a product can make or break the decision to buy. It is crucial that brands be aware of the concerns of their target audience, and design the packaging to address those needs.