There is debate on the effectiveness of eco-labels on sustainable purchase behaviour and unclarity about role of visual attention and its antecedents.
In an experimental study with a between-group design, 60 participants were asked to look at a picture of the product packaging of tea while their eye-movements were measured. The test-group looked at a manipulated picture in which the eco-label was strategically placed close to the brand name, while the control-group looked at the picture with the original eco-label placement. An additional survey revealed their purchase intention for eco-labelled products and perceptions of trust. For the analysis partial least squares structural equation modelling was used.
The findings of this study indicate that strategic label placement has a positive effect on visual attention when it is measured with the time to first fixation, which does not hold for dwell time. Moreover, it disproves the expected moderating role of trust in eco-labels on the relation between label placement and visual attention paid to eco-labels, and effect of visual attention paid to eco-labels as a driver of purchase intention for eco-labelled products.
Research implications – To extent marketing and sustainable consumption literature, the findings provide new insights in the role of label placement, visual attention, and trust on sustainable purchase behaviour
For the eye-tracking experiment the online software ‘Gazerecorder’ was used. This software can provide several measures of visual attention and is easy-to-use. ‘Gazerecorder’ has been used in other scientific
studies as well. The 0.9 megapixel webcam of the laptop is used to observe the eye-movements of the participants. To make sure the collected is of the highest possible quality, the eye tracking software was calibrated for each individual participant. This is an automated feature of the programme and entails looking at dots appearing on the screen. Besides, the participants were asked to minimize other movements of their bodies and have an active work posture while feeling relaxed.
Gazerecorder was used for the eyetracking part and respondents were asked the following: “You will see an image. I would like to ask
you to focus your visual attention all the time on the eco-label