The Influence of Consumers' Visual Attention on Product Packaging Elements in Their Purchasing Process Using Eye-Tracking Technology

Abstract

Packaging plays a key role in attracting consumers’ attention at the point of sale and can become a market winner by creating differentiation. This study examines the influential packaging elements in capturing visual attention and being selected by consumers, with results obtained through quantitative and experimental methods. The research follows an exploratory approach and was conducted in three phases. Initially, key influential packaging elements in food products were identified through interviews with industry professionals. Then, a filtering questionnaire was employed to classify products as utilitarian or hedonic, based on consumption patterns. This phase involved non-random and purposive sampling. Subsequently, an eye-tracking experiment was conducted to quantitatively measure visual attention to the examined elements. In the final phase, a quantitative questionnaire-based experiment was used to complement the previous phase’s data and examine the research hypotheses in greater detail. In the last two phases of the study, non-random and snowball sampling methods were applied. For demographic variable analysis, frequency and percentage distribution methods were used, while the Friedman nonparametric test in SPSS software was employed to analyze and compare packaging attractiveness and consumers’ purchase intention. Additionally, the relationships and effects of variables in the structural equation model were analyzed using SmartPLS software. The study's findings indicate that the impact of transparency and character elements in packaging on consumer attention and product selection varies depending on the product type. For pasta, gummy candies, and chocolate, the simultaneous presence of transparency and character significantly influenced attention and purchase selection. However, in the case of olive oil, there was no significant relationship between different packaging conditions and consumer attention or selection.