In our latest study, we looked at how people look at sausages!
When shopping, people see different visual cues that influence their food choices. In addition, concerns about the use of nitrites and the overall environmental impact of animal breeding are changing the European sausage market.
The aim of this study was to assess differences in the visual attention of participants (n = 66) when looking at three types of sausages (traditional, nitrite-free, and plant-based) in both a blinded and informed condition. In the blinded condition, participants only saw the sausages, but in the informed condition, the sausages were accompanied by an informational message about the health and environmental benefits and health risks of the product. The study was conducted in Ireland and Finland using eye-tracking glasses and a food choice task.
Differences in the focus of visual attention were observed between countries. Irish participants looked at different products in turn, returning to the sausages they had already looked at, while Finnish participants tended to focus on each product (or text) for longer periods without returning to it again. In both countries, in the blinded condition, most participants chose the conventional product, with the plant-based alternative coming in second.
In the information-based condition, the conventional sausage remained the most popular in Ireland, while in Finland the plant-based alternative became the most popular. In Ireland, the differences were small in terms of visual attention, although the product information text for the nitrite-free sausage was viewed the longest. On the other hand, in the blinded condition, the plant-based alternative was viewed the longest on the first viewing, and more reinspections were made. An interesting finding was that the longer the product was viewed, the more likely it was to be chosen.
Our results highlight the need for culturally specific approaches. In promoting healthier and more sustainable food choices, the emphasis is on visual attention and the provision of information.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2025.105737
#EyeTracking #sustainability #MeatAlternatives #sausage
LB Thomas 💎🏳️🌈
JohnnieMac
Tuomo H
SustainabilityOnline
LizzyNet
killbait at KillBait
Vegan FTA
Dining and Cooking
Hacker News
Mariann Sebok
