Assessing the shape symbolism of the taste, flavour, and texture of foods and beverages
Spence and Ngo review research on the shape symbolism of foods and drinks. People reliably link tastes such as bitter, sweet and sour, and qualities such as carbonation and texture, with abstract shapes that differ in angularity: sweet items with rounded forms such as circles, bitter and carbonated items with spiky forms such as triangles and stars. The authors propose that these links are already used in food labels and packaging, where they may set up sensory expectations, and that because people tend to prefer products that meet their expectations, using shape symbolism could give companies an edge. The paper reviews recent research and industry examples, discusses proposed explanations, and summarises evidence that pack shape can affect perceived sensory qualities and liking even when the product stays the same. Journal of record: Flavour 1, article 12, 2012.
Spence and Ngo review research on the shape symbolism of foods and drinks. People reliably link tastes such as bitter, sweet and sour, and qualities such as carbonation and texture, with abstract shapes that differ in angularity: sweet items with rounded forms such as circles, bitter and carbonated items with spiky forms such as triangles and stars. The authors propose that these links are already used in food labels and packaging, where they may set up sensory expectations, and that because people tend to prefer products that meet their expectations, using shape symbolism could give companies an edge. The paper reviews recent research and industry examples, discusses proposed explanations, and summarises evidence that pack shape can affect perceived sensory qualities and liking even when the product stays the same. Journal of record: Flavour 1, article 12, 2012.
Written from the abstract, OpenAlex record, 2026-11-03; citation details from the same record.
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Spence, C., & Ngo, M. K. (2012). Assessing the shape symbolism of the taste, flavour, and texture of foods and beverages. Flavour, 1, 12. doi:10.1186/2044-7248-1-12 https://doi.org/10.1186/2044-7248-1-12