Multimodalidade em embalagens de compostos lácteos comercializados no Brasil

Abstract

Packaging labels commonly present persuasive strategies, with the purpose of provoking a buying attitude in the consumer. Brazilian legislation has norms aimed at consumer protection, so that the guarantee of access to information related to food products and their uses is assured. In the graphic design of packaging for dairy products, different resources are used that are capable of attracting the attention of consumers and awakening the desire to purchase. Thus, the use of multimodal elements such as colors, shapes and fonts, in graphic composition, is of great importance in the construction of meanings by the consumer, according to their affective memories and beliefs. As for dairy products, consumer complaints have been frequently reported regarding the clarity in the characterization of dairy compounds, due to the great similarity to the presentation of powdered milk. In the present work, the objective was to analyze labels of dairy compounds, regarding the presence of multimodal elements that could confuse consumers at the time of purchase. Eight units of dairy compounds and six units of powdered milk, from different brands, were acquired by purchase in supermarkets in Teresina-PI, all rigorously within the expiration date informed by the manufacturer. Observed qualitative data related to the multimodal elements present in the packages or on their labels were collected, with the purpose of identifying the occurrence of similarities in the presentation of information, which could confuse the consumer, when purchasing dairy compounds or powdered milk. Based on the analysis of the packaging of dairy compounds and powdered milk, a similarity was found in the presentation of multimodal elements, especially in the iconographic representations found on the labels of dairy compounds and powdered milk. The use of a similar visual design possibly makes it difficult to distinguish between both product categories. Considering the importance of clear information, it is suggested that more interdisciplinary studies be developed on the subject of packaging design and the construction of meanings by the consumer. It is hoped that such studies will guide public policies that are increasingly attentive to the consumer's right to access nutritional information, necessary for the maintenance of collective health and the prevention of chronic diseases related to the consumption of foods with excessive energy value, as is often the case in formulations of dairy compounds.