Seeing Through Packaging: Eye-Tracking Evidence on How Product Visual Strategy and Unit Size Shape Visual Attention and Consumer Evaluation

TL;DR

This study shows how transparent packaging and small unit sizes attract more attention and improve consumer perceptions of food products.

Contribution

The study provides novel empirical evidence on how packaging visuals and unit size interact to influence attention and consumer evaluations using eye-tracking.

Findings

Transparent-window packaging attracts attention faster and sustains longer fixations than product-image packaging.

Small-unit designs show greater attention and favorable evaluations only with transparent windows.

Visual attention differences correlate with higher expected tastiness, quality, and purchase intention.

Abstract

Product visual strategies (PVS) on food packaging influence how consumers visually inspect products at the point of purchase. However, evidence comparing transparent windows and product images remains mixed, particularly regarding how these strategies interact with food unit size (FUS) and shape visual attention patterns. Moreover, few studies have examined these effects using objective eye-tracking measures within controlled experimental designs. This study employed a 2 × 2 between-subjects quasi-experiment to investigate the effects of PVS (transparent window and product image) and FUS (large unit and small unit) on visual attention and subsequent product-related evaluations. A total of 160 participants viewed realistic chocolate package stimuli that varied only in visual strategy and unit size. Eye movements were recorded using Tobii Pro Glasses 2. Visual attention was assessed through Time to First Fixation (TFF) and Fixation Duration (FD), while expected tastiness, expected quality, and purchase intention were measured using standardized self-report scales. The results showed that transparent-window packaging attracted visual attention more rapidly and sustained longer fixations than product-image packaging. These attention differences were accompanied by higher expected tastiness, expected quality, and purchase intention. While food unit size alone showed limited effects on eye-movement measures, a significant interaction was observed: small-unit designs elicited greater visual attention and more favorable evaluations only when the product was directly visible through a transparent window. Overall, the findings demonstrate how product visual strategies and food unit size jointly shape visual attention allocation during packaging inspection. By integrating eye-tracking measures with evaluation and behavioral intention outcomes, this study contributes to applied eye-movement research in food packaging contexts.

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