PurposeThis study examines how visual realism and implied motion cues in juice packaging shape consumers’ perceived food freshness and purchase intention in sensory-constrained evaluation contexts. It further investigates perceived image dynamism as a mediating mechanism and spatial imagery ability as an individual-difference boundary condition.Design/methodology/approachStudy 1 tested the effect of image realism (realistic vs. stylized) on perceived freshness, healthfulness, and purchase intent