Packaging research helps brands understand what shoppers notice, ignore, and choose on shelf. Using eye tracking, researchers can measure attention, visibility, and packaging performance in real shopping environments.
Eye tracking uncovers the instant shifts in visual attention that determine which packages stand out, connect with shoppers, and influence purchase decisions.
of shoppers make purchase decisions within seconds, often based on packaging alone.
of packaging designs fail to communicate
key product information effectively.
of packaging tests rely on surveys or focus
groups, which may not reflect real behavior.
Packaging research is the process of studying how consumers interact with product packaging in real shopping environments. It helps brands understand what attracts attention, communicates value, and influences purchase decisions.
Unlike traditional surveys that rely on consumer recall, behavioral methods such as eye tracking reveal exactly what shoppers notice, ignore, and consider when choosing products on shelves or online.
Watch the demo video to learn more.
Eye tracking helps brands understand how shelf placement, packaging design, and visual cues influence shopper attention and purchase decisions.
Packaging optimization
Understand how shoppers view and evaluate package designs to optimize packaging and improve purchase decisions.
Measure shopper attention
See how shoppers visually engage with packages and which design element captures their attention on crowded shelves.
Packaging A/B testing
Eye tracking enables fast package design testing, allowing teams to compare design concepts and identify which packaging performs best before launch.
Analyze shelf impact
Collected data reveals how packaging performs against competitors — measuring shelf attention, product visibility, and shopper engagement.
Path-to-Purchase
Eye tracking uncovers how packaging influences buyer behavior and guides purchase decisions in real shopping environments.
While traditional packaging research are common, eye tracking shows how designs perform at the shelf by measuring real visual behavior rather than recalled feedback.
Relies on shopper recall from surveys or interviews.
Uses static setups that miss real shelf competition.
Hard to measure how quickly packaging is found.
Infers effectiveness without direct measurement.
Issues surface after designs are finalized.
Difficult to scale detailed observation.
Measures exactly what packaging elements are seen, when, and for how long.
Tests packaging in real stores or realistic digital shelf setups that reflect true competition.
Shows how quickly a package is found and what draws or diverts attention.
Reveals which designs, colors, and visuals actually guide choice.
Identifies issues and opportunities before packaging goes to print.
Compares multiple packaging options efficiently without disrupting the shopper experience.
Compare design alternatives or run a comparative analysis online with test participants anywhere in the world. Tobii Sticky, our online self-service platform, uses webcam eye tracking on computers or mobile devices to give you accurate and unbiased data on the performance of your packaging designs. Upload your designs and create your own survey questions and we will deliver the results of your study in an easy-to-understand format.
Wearable eye trackers let you see packaging through the shopper’s eyes in real shopping environments. They capture real‑time gaze patterns, showing which designs get noticed, how shoppers navigate shelves, and what influences their purchase decisions — providing objective insights to optimize packaging performance.
Want to run more comprehensive projects or in-store studies? Our research consultancy, Tobii Insight, can run your study from beginning to end, including participant recruitment, as well as study setup and analysis. This is ideal for those looking to test packaging in a store environment or explore the effectiveness of point-of-sale material.
Incorporating eye tracking into our flagship PACKMASTER tool is key to our proposition that places more emphasis on measuring performance rather than relying on asking people what they think. Eye tracking allows us to gain an extra layer of human understanding to better pinpoint potential weaknesses and help our clients optimize their packaging prior to launch.
Chris Peach
Head of Packaging & Design, Walnut Unlimited
Being able to test the visual performance of our packaging designs means that we give our clients a competitive edge from the outset.
Carlos Alves
PACKAGING DESIGNER, LOGOPLASTE INNOVATION LAB
Using eye tracking gives you the opportunity to look through the consumer’s eyes, so instead of only listening to an opinion we now see the analysis…and when we need a specific answer to a question, we use a lot of eye tracking because eyes don’t lie.
Jeroen van der Kallen
Customer Insight and Innovation Manager Europe, Unilever
The eye tracking study scientifically proved that Mondahmin's eye-catching stickers were seen by customers, and we were able to make effective suggestions. Tobii products are highly usable, and we found Tobii Pro Lab to be a particularly reliable software.
Insight Marketing chief
Earth Corporation
Incorporating eye tracking into our flagship PACKMASTER tool is key to our proposition that places more emphasis on measuring performance rather than relying on asking people what they think. Eye tracking allows us to gain an extra layer of human understanding to better pinpoint potential weaknesses and help our clients optimize their packaging prior to launch.
Chris Peach
Head of Packaging & Design, Walnut Unlimited
Being able to test the visual performance of our packaging designs means that we give our clients a competitive edge from the outset.
Carlos Alves
PACKAGING DESIGNER, LOGOPLASTE INNOVATION LAB
Using eye tracking gives you the opportunity to look through the consumer’s eyes, so instead of only listening to an opinion we now see the analysis…and when we need a specific answer to a question, we use a lot of eye tracking because eyes don’t lie.
Jeroen van der Kallen
Customer Insight and Innovation Manager Europe, Unilever
The eye tracking study scientifically proved that Mondahmin's eye-catching stickers were seen by customers, and we were able to make effective suggestions. Tobii products are highly usable, and we found Tobii Pro Lab to be a particularly reliable software.
Insight Marketing chief
Earth Corporation
Unicharm, who are well experienced in using cutting-edge technologies to conduct market research, decided to use eye tracking and VR research.
How to design packaging that jumps off the shelf
How to analyze the impact of different packaging designs
How visibility can be enhanced through effective messaging and design
Whether key messages and communication are noticed or ignored
Our team are experienced in applying technology and research expertise for effective pack studies.
Let’s talk about how your study might look.
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