How the layout of a unit price label affects eye-movements and product choice: An eye-tracking investigation

Abstract

Unit pricing (i.e., displaying prices per unit of volume or weight) is deemed helpful for grocery shoppers. Many countries mandate that supermarkets provide unit prices. However, consumers only make limited use of unit pricing. Consumer advocates attribute this to the poor and inconsistent presentation of the unit price information. Using eye-tracking, the present research tests how unit price label design factors (position, font size, signposting and color highlighting on the price label) affect consumers' eye-movements during the product decision process. Additionally, the study assesses how the effects of the design factors depend on the consumer's price consciousness. The research also tests how the consistency of the label presentation affects eye-movements and choice. Findings from an experimentally designed shopping task using natural stimuli reveal that an enhanced label design leads to an increase in the number of eye fixations, in particular when the unit price is color highlighted and especially for consumers who are less price conscious. These increased fixations, however, do not result in changes in product choice.