**4. The perception of intelligent and active packaging in Slovakia**

In the research, we focused on intelligent and active forms of packaging, the occurrence of which we have mostly noticed in the Slovak market. The Kano model was used for the study of customers' attitudes to the individual functions of active and intelligent packaging. Firstly, we examined the perception of their availability and their functionality, as well as other customer requirements for these forms of packaging. The requirements of the packaging functions among the monitored age categories were identified.

Consequently, the analysis calculated the competitiveness and the impact of the innovation within the specific categories of age by classifying the innovation status. The innovation status is deliberated as the sum of the specific recognized categories of the examined factors. The influence of the status of innovation for each age category is stated as the weighted average of the specified buyer requests identified by the Kano model. The innovation perception typology matrix describes innovation status in (**Table 1**).

Obviously, as apparently from **Table 2**, active and intelligent packaging has dissimilar influences on buyers in different age. The positive influence (growing the competitiveness of goods through active and intelligent packaging is in the age category 18–30 and 31–40. The results highlight that in the case of goods designed for these consumers, the implementation of intelligent elements for innovation creation represents an increase in the competitiveness of these products. On the contrary, these innovations are differently perceived by the elderly respondents. The age categories 41 and more and especially elder consumers are particular by experiencing. They often experience innovation with negative satisfaction. The dissatisfaction is higher with increasing age (**Figure 2**). The results confirmed the theoretical knowledge that noted buyers' fears of innovation [55].

Subsequently, the identified innovation status and the impact of innovation on individual age categories are illustrated in the innovation perception typology matrix, see **Figure 2**.

The results confirmed that the respondents included in the age category of 41– 50 years have the specific requirements. They are aware of what is important to them


#### **Table 1.**

*Basic data for compiling a typology matrix focusing on intelligent and active packaging.*

when choosing products, and they also recognize what packaging function is an indispensable part of the product. As the most important factor, they consider the protective and informative function of a package. The handling and environmental functions are attractive. The above-mentioned age group is the target group for new packaging innovations, which follows from our intended the highest innovation status with the influence size of 54.

Very similar attitudes can be observed in the category of respondents in the age 51– 60 years, who are also very well aware of their specific requirements and what they consider unnecessary. In this age category, consumers consider as important the handling, protection, informative, economic and environmental functions of packaging. These functions are one-dimensional requirements for them. For one-dimensional requirements applying that the higher rate of these requirements fulfillment, the consumers are more satisfied. However, in comparison to the mandatory requirements, customers do not expect one-dimensional requirements automatically. With regard to this age category of consumers, companies should focus on packaging innovations in the context of general functions, but nevertheless the specific packaging innovations, what is obvious from the high innovation status.

*The Perception of Intelligent Packaging Innovation: The Latest Process and Technological… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107461*


**Table 2.** *The comparison*

 *analysis of perceptions*

 *of intelligent and active packaging functions in Slovakia.*

**Figure 2.** *A matrix of intelligent innovation intelligence typology, focusing on intelligent and active packaging.*

And finally in the last examined age category (61 and more), the consumers identified only the handling function as important. That is the reason why the firms have to focus on that issue how to simplify goods handling. Though, the innovation status of this age category is low. Everything stated is clearly connected to the most common purchase problems related to the age of customers. Also, for example, according to Lesakova [56], the increasing age is associated with increasing mobility problems of older people and those are becoming dependent on assistance when they come to the purchase.

Overall, the global aging of the populations calls for more age-friendly approaches to be implemented in packaging. The population aging may be perceived as a challenge to prepare for these developments in such a way that older people can benefit from age-friendly strategies in packaging innovation.

To conclude the survey, results indicate different attitudes to intelligent and active packaging according to the age, but the majority of respondents agreed that the packaging should be ecological and should meet the informative and protective functions. These three functions can be attributed to innovations that are most preferred among all respondents.

From the point of view of the perception of the functions of intelligent and active packaging, the research results indicate different attitudes according to age categories (**Table 2**).

Active packaging can be considered valued above all for the buyers in the age of 41 and older. It characterizes active packaging features that lead to fulfillment and satisfaction. The younger consumers (< 40 years) are not influenced to such an extent by active packaging and their functions. The functions are indifferent for them. It involves the attributes that are not critical for customers, and their pass or fail does not affect their satisfaction or dissatisfaction, **Figure 3**.

*The Perception of Intelligent Packaging Innovation: The Latest Process and Technological… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107461*

**Figure 3.** *The customer value of active packaging functions.*

Regarding intelligent packaging, the most affected group is age category 41–50, followed by the category 51–60. Principally the innovations of intelligent packaging affect the buyers in the age 18–60 very similarly. These consumers have onedimensional requests. The consumers from age category 61 and older are indifferent and do not react to innovation in packaging, **Figure 4**.

The evaluation of the value of intelligent and active packaging functions indicates the dissimilarities in customers' values, **Figure 5**. The younger consumers are more focus on the intelligent packaging. The generation of middle-aged is interested in both forms of packaging innovation equally. And finally the older age categories rather prefer only active packaging.

Active packaging functions are most valuable for the older buyers in the age of 41 and older. They represent a group that intelligent and active packaging is attractive and have one-dimensional requests. There are features that lead to satisfaction in the

**Figure 4.** *The intelligent packaging functions from the consumers point of view.*

**Figure 5.** *The comparison of the value of active and intelligent packaging functions for the customers.*

**Figure 6.** *Age and perceptions of active and intelligent packaging functions.*

case of non-compliance to buyers' dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the young consumers in the age under 40 years are more fascinated in intelligent functions. On the contrary, these consumers are not interested in active packaging, and they have indifferent awareness, **Figure 6**.

The evaluation of intelligent and active packaging features for the buyers shows the discrepancy in different consumers groups. To summarize it, the younger consumers are more focused on the intelligent packaging, and the middle-aged groups are fascinated in all innovations in packaging and the older age categories prefer only innovations focused on active packaging. Finally, two individual functions of packaging – convenience and containment are important for consumers, as well as the communication function, **Figure 7**.

The monitored parameters in the study were divided into groups characterizing the nature of the green consumer and the consumer's ability to distinguish product packaging from competing products, i.e. to distinguish intelligent packaging innovations from traditional packaging. **Table 3** presents a summary of the examined parameters and their satisfaction coefficients.

The values of the satisfaction coefficient point to the fact that consumers are satisfied with the concept of intelligent packaging innovations. Other investigated parameters have low satisfaction coefficient values. We have identified a green innovation strategy of intelligent packaging by graphically representing the determined values of the nature of the green customers and ability to distinguish the packaging. Slovak consumers perceive intelligent packaging innovations as weakly green [57], see **Figure 8**.

Based on the identified green strategy of intelligent packaging innovations, we can conclude that Slovak consumers perceive intelligent packaging innovations as

*The Perception of Intelligent Packaging Innovation: The Latest Process and Technological… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107461*


#### **Table 3.**

*The Kano model values and environmental focus groups.*

#### **Figure 8.**

*Portfolio matrix of green strategies – perception of intelligent packaging innovations in Slovakia.*

follows: Companies try to be environmentally responsible, but they do not promote these environmental initiatives and do not use green marketing to a sufficient extent. Businesses in Slovakia are more oriented towards reducing costs and increasing efficiency in order to increase competitive advantage by means of low costs. They use innovations precisely to make their processes more efficient. They do not consider intelligent packaging innovations to be a high-profit segment. With this strategy, companies fear that their products will not be able to differentiate themselves from competing products, and the introduction of smart packaging innovations would increase the price of their products. From the customers' point of view, customers are trying to be environmentally responsible, but the limits are in their awareness and the price. Price is one of the main factors in their purchasing decision.
