Effect of location and presentation format on attention to and compliance with product warnings and instructions

Abstract

Abstract Eighty subjects used a drain opener with one of four labels in an experiment to determine the effect of safety information location relative to usage instructions and the effect of presentation format of usage instructions (prose vs. numbered list) on the attention to and compliance with on-product warnings and instructions. Contrary to current/recommended practice, substantially more subjects read and complied with warnings that appeared in the “Directions for Use” rather than the “Precautions” section. On average, moving a statement from the “Precautions” into the “Directions” increased the reading rate from 37% to 89% and the compliance rate from 48% to 83%. The presentation format did not affect overall label effectiveness. This research is particularly applicable to labeling guidelines and regulations calling for precautions to be separated from usage instructions. This research also illustrates the value of a user-oriented label design approach facilitated by a technique developed for analyzing existing/prototype labels.