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Packaging research solutions

Packaging research solutions

Discover what shoppers see and choose on shelf

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.

Revealing the insights that drive shelf impact

Eye tracking uncovers the instant shifts in visual attention that determine which packages stand out, connect with shoppers, and influence purchase decisions.

75%
of shoppers make purchase decisions within seconds, often based on packaging alone.
68%
of packaging designs fail to communicate
key product information effectively.
60%
of packaging tests rely on surveys or focus
groups, which may not reflect real behavior.

What is packaging research?

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.

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Benefits of eye tracking in packaging design studies

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.

Transforming the way packaging is evaluated

While traditional packaging research are common, eye tracking shows how designs perform at the shelf by measuring real visual behavior rather than recalled feedback.

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Traditional packaging research methods

Recall‑based evaluation
Relies on surveys, interviews, or focus groups asking shoppers what they noticed or preferred.
Static or artificial testing
Uses flat pack shots, mock shelves, or controlled lab setups that don’t reflect real shelf competition.
Indirect findability assessment
Hard to know how quickly a package is spotted or what it competes with for attention.
Assumed visual hierarchy
Design effectiveness is inferred rather than measured directly.
Late‑stage feedback
Packaging issues are often identified after designs are finalized.
Small behavioral sample sizes
In‑depth observation is time‑consuming and difficult to scale.

Package research with Tobii eye tracking

Objective attention measurement
Measures exactly what packaging elements are seen, when, and for how long.
Realistic shelf context
Tests packaging in real stores or realistic digital shelf setups that reflect true competition.
Clear visibility into shelf interaction
Shows how quickly a package is found and what draws or diverts attention.
Evidence‑based design decisions
Reveals which designs, colors, and visuals actually guide choice.
Earlier design optimization
Identifies issues and opportunities before packaging goes to print.
Scalable insight across designs
Compares multiple packaging options efficiently without disrupting the shopper experience.

Our products and services for packaging research

Tobii Sticky

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.

Go to Tobii Sticky

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Wearable eye tracking

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.

Wearable eye trackers

Wearable eye tracking

Tobii Insight

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.

Learn about Tobii Insight

Tobii Insight

Trusted by the top companies and brands

Unilever Eye tracking study for packaging research

Ipsos - Eye tracking study for packaging research

L'Oreal - Eye tracking study for packaging research

Proctor and Gamble Eye tracking study for packaging research

Carlsberg - Eye tracking study for packaging research

Unicharm - Eye tracking study for packaging research

Strategir used eye tracking in a packaging study

Logoplate Eye tracking study for packaging research

“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

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Explore packaging research further

Eye Tracking x Metaverse

Eye Tracking x Metaverse

Unicharm, who are well experienced in using cutting-edge technologies to conduct market research, decided to use eye tracking and VR research.

Improving package design for Unilever

How HL Display improved on-shelf messaging and visibility

Analyzing the visibility of Earth Corporation’s products at the shelf

A newcomer’s perspective — eye tracking for packaging research

Eye tracking study of package design led to 15% sales growth

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Evaluating Package design

Evaluating Package design

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

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Frequently asked questions about packaging research

Why do shoppers choose one product over another?

How do companies conduct packaging research?

Why is packaging research important?

How does packaging influence consumer buying decisions?

Can eye tracking be used for A/B testing packaging?

Want to know more?

Our team are experienced in applying technology and research expertise for effective pack studies.

Let’s talk about how your study might look.