In traditional brick and mortar retail, a consumer’s first contact with your brand is rarely with the product itself - it’s with your packaging. And while online shopping doesn’t involve browsing shelves (though it may in the metaverse), packaging and labels are nonetheless often featured in packshots and social media unboxing content. Colour psychology is the science of analysing the impact of colours on human behaviour and emotions, and it’s a fundamental aspect of packaging design.

Some colours are more predictable than others: red, for example, connotes excitement, passion, zeal and even danger… But some studies have shown that it can also stimulate hunger, hence its use by fast-food brands. Blue is perceived as a soothing, trustworthy, even meditative colour. Green is, unsurprisingly, strongly associated with nature, and is often used by companies to highlight their sustainability efforts.