This experiment sought to understand the visual ecology of voluntary front-of-package (FOP) food claims and consumer decision-making. A summarized method is described below, but in a nutshell, I was curious if a standardized placement of specific packaging information would result in faster and more satisfactory decision-making. The results of this study did not match all expectations, but given its limitations, did reveal interesting and promising data. Further studies can build off of these findings, with the broader goal of affecting food packaging policy change—change that prioritizes consumer health and food literacy over corporate motives.
Participants (N=68) were randomly assigned to one of three experiment groups. Each group was exposed to a different set of product images and prompted to make a product selection. In the control group, the set of product images shown contained no voluntary FOP claims (Fig. 1). In another set, the product images shown contained voluntary FOP claims in non-standardized positions (Fig. 2). In the final set, the product images shown contained voluntary FOP claims adhering to a standardized position (Fig. 3).
Using R, I conducted several analyses to assess my manipulation check and research questions.
Some results were expected. Some were unexpected, but explainable. Further research will build off of these findings and include additional variables and priming motives.
With increasing time pressure at the point of sale and a variety of motives for food choice, consumers rely on front-of-package (FOP) claims to make food purchase decisions. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has regulations for some visual elements of food packaging, it does not govern visual principles regarding FOP claims, resulting in a visual ecology which can be crowded, overwhelming, and confusing, leading to decision-making environments which are cognitively complex or unsatisfying. This study addresses the impact of FOP claim position on decision-making time, decision satisfaction, and the relationship between decision time and decision satisfaction. The results of three experiment groups: a control group exposed to no FOP claims, a group exposed to FOP claims adhering to a standardized position, and a group exposed to FOP claims which reflect the current real-world landscape (non-standardized position of FOP claims) demonstrate a correlation between decision time and decision satisfaction. Although the results do not demonstrate that standardized FOP claim position results in faster decision-making and greater decision satisfaction, implications for future research and impacts on consumer agency are offered.
