Abstract
Finding the ingredients on food product labels can be critical for safety and health. This study examines whether the amount of time it takes to locate an ingredients list on a food product label depends on its physical location, or its position relative to a conspicuous landmark, the nutrition facts panel (NFP). The position of the ingredients list was manipulated with respect to 6 potential label locations and its position relative to the NFP, yielding 30 possible combinations of locations for the ingredients list and NFP. Participants were shown the set of 30 layouts in random order, with instructions to find the ingredients list on each layout. Response time (ms) for finding the ingredients list was recorded. Analyses indicated a significant vertical position effect, with placement on the bottom producing longer response times than the top or middle positions. Other analyses examined the relative distance between the ingredients and the NFP, which showed that participants found the ingredients list faster when it were located near the NFP, as opposed to placements furthest away. Implications for the understanding search times on relatively complex labels are discussed. Benefits for health and safety through better food labeling are described.
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