Seeing the grain: How transparent window size influences purchase intention and visual attention in rice packaging

Consumer purchase decisions are influenced by both intrinsic product cues and extrinsic packaging features. This research aimed to determine how transparent window size on rice packaging affects purchase intention and visual attention to visible rice grains. In Study 1, 60 consumers evaluated digital images of 10 rice packages varying in grain exposure area: 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, and 75%. Visual attention to the rice-grain region was measured using eye tracking. In Study 2, 60 consumers evaluated corresponding physical packages. In the digital image setting, purchase intention increased significantly when grain exposure reached 25%, with no additional benefit observed at higher exposure levels. Packages exposing 25%-75% of the product also elicited significantly greater fixation counts, fixation durations, and saccade counts on the rice-grain region than packages exposing 5% or 10%. In the physical package setting, purchase intention increased when grain exposure reached 25% and continued to increase up to 50%, with no additional benefit observed at 75% exposure. In conclusion, the most effective visible grain exposure area differed between digital and physical retail contexts: among the exposure levels tested, 25% exposure was sufficient to enhance purchase intention and visual attention in the digital image setting, whereas 50% exposure was most effective for increasing purchase intention in the physical package setting. These findings provide practical guidance for rice packaging design by suggesting that transparent windows exposing approximately 25%-50% of the front package surface can enhance consumer appeal while preserving space for branding and other packaging information.