An efficient methodology for assessing attention to and effect of nutrition information displayed front-of-pack

A methodology for assessing attention to and effect of nutrition information displayed front-of-pack is presented. The methodology is based on an integration of the visual search paradigm, the choice paradigm and eye-tracking measures, and moves beyond reliance on self-report measures for attention and choice. Rather the following measures are obtained: (1) respondents’ eye-movements, in terms of dwell time, fixation duration, number of fixations, and saccade size; (2) response times indicating the speed with which choice decisions are made; and (3) consumers’ actual choices from an assortment. The efficiency and sensitivity of the methodology is illustrated in a small scale empirical application. Overall, the methodology seems to be a promising tool for answering puzzling questions in consumer attention and decision making with straightforward potential extensions to enlarge its scope.

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