Integrating Regional Cultural Identity and Sustainability in Packaging Design for Chinese Geographical Indication Agricultural Products: A Case Study of Shatian Pomelo in Rongxian DOI:

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Against the backdrop of global sustainable consumption and agricultural product branding, packaging has become a crucial means of enhancing the added value of agricultural products with geographical indications. This study takes Rongxian Shatian pomelo as an example. The research goal is to explore feasible methods for sustainable packaging design that incorporates regional culture, aiming to improve the product's market competitiveness and cultural influence. Employing
a combination of case studies, mixed research methods, and designed experiments, the study systematically synthesized and analyzed data from an analysis of internationally award-winning agricultural product packaging, along with questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews with 200 consumers aged 25-35 and three Shatian pomelo growers. The study reveals that packaging integrating regional cultural narratives significantly boosts consumer recognition and repurchase intent, with 77.8% of respondents favoring aesthetically compelling, biodegradable options. Concurrently, growers emphasized packaging's essential role in conveying regional identity and product quality. Design experiments further confirmed that innovative packaging solutions based on bio-based materials can help reduce carbon emissions. This study suggests that current packaging for agricultural products with geographical indications in China still faces challenges such as monotonous structure, visual homogeneity, and insufficient environmental friendliness. The key to addressing these issues lies in addressing consumers' combined demands for aesthetics, ecology, and culture, while also meeting growers' expectations for increased added value and highlighting the unique characteristics of their region of origin. Therefore, packaging design innovation requires the systematic integration of three dimensions: materials, structure, and storytelling. Environmental protection can be achieved through the use of bio-based materials, material usage can be reduced through simple structures, and brand identity can be enhanced by incorporating regional cultural narratives. The synergistic integration of these three dimensions is the core path to building an effective and sustainable packaging system.