The Impact of Nutri-Score Label on Food Packages on Consumer Responses: An Eye-Tracking Study in India

In the current era of consumption, global health is a growing concern. A challenging issue for policymakers is how to divert consumers’ attention towards healthier options, promoting better eating habits. This study employs the eye-tracking methodology to examine consumers’ attention to front-of-package labels (FOPL) in the context of food product evaluation. Stimuli include FOPL and back-of-package labels (BOPL), with the experimental group exposed to the Nutri-Score label on FOPL (apart from the Nutrition Facts Panel on BOPL) and the control group not exposed to the Nutri-Score, while maintaining consistency in back-of-package labels and other front-of-package cues. The primary aim is to understand the influence of the Nutri-Score label on consumers’ attention. Results indicate a substantial increase in attention towards the Nutri-Score label in the experimental group, whereas the control group displays increased attention towards health claims on the FOPL. Importantly, participants showed limited attention to the standard Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) on back-of-the-package. These findings provide nuanced insights into front-of-package labelling strategies and their implications for attracting consumer attention in food product evaluation.