What Drives Consumer Choices? Neuro-Insights from a Supermarket Simulation Study

Yfantidou, I ORCID: 0000-0003-3200-2185, Vagelis, O, Georgiadis, K, Kalaganis, F, Matta, E, Nikolopoulos, S and Kompatsiaris, Y What Drives Consumer Choices? Neuro-Insights from a Supermarket Simulation Study. Corporate Communications: an International Journal. ISSN 1356-3289 (Accepted)

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Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how different types of price discount influence consumers’ purchase intentions within a simulated supermarket environment. By integrating eye-tracking and EEG technologies, the research aims to capture real-time visual attention and neural responses, offering insights beyond traditional self-report methods. Specifically, the study examines whether shopping duration and age predict purchasing behavior under various discount types, while also assessing the role of memorization and fixation patterns in shaping consumer decisions.

Design/methodology/approach: To simulate a real-life shopping experience, a leaflet identical to those used in supermarkets was created for the study. Eye tracking and EEG were employed to monitor participants’ gaze and emotional responses while interacting with the leaflet. The behaviour of 42 participants is analysed to assess the clarity of promotional messages and different types of discounts. Additionally, EEG data provided insights into unconscious preferences and cognitive processes, such as memorization and approach-withdrawal tendencies, during decision making.

Findings: The analysis reveals that Fixation Duration is the strongest predictor of purchasing behavior, showing a robust positive association between the time spent viewing a product and the likelihood of purchase. EEG results indicate that Memorization significantly predicts buying decisions, while Attention-Withdrawal does not. Age and shopping duration contribute meaningfully to explaining variations in the number of products purchased, though their influence depends on discount type. Specifically, shopping duration predicts purchases under the “50% off” discount, whereas age is more relevant for the “1+1 free” offer. Neither factor predicts purchases when the vague “ONLY” discount is applied. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of visual engagement and cognitive processing in shaping consumer choices, while highlighting that clear and substantial discounts outperform ambiguous ones.

Practical implications: By understanding the factors that influence consumer decision-making mostly, businesses can tailor their marketing strategies to improve product selection and boost sales. The study’s findings can help retailers design more effective promotional materials and optimize the layout of their physical store or online shopping platforms. This, in turn, can shorten decision-making time and ensure that high-priority products are more prominently featured.

Originality/value: The study combines advanced neuroscience (EEG) with eye-tracking technology to analyse consumer behaviour, which adds a novel dimension to traditional marketing research. By using a supermarket leaflet identical to actual ones, the study replicates real-world shopping scenarios, ensuring realistic insights into consumer decision-making. The study focuses on cognitive and behavioural processes and it explores deeper, unconscious factors like memorization and approach-withdrawal tendencies, which are often overlooked in consumer behaviour studies.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services; 20 Language, Communication and Culture; Business & Management; 35 Commerce, management, tourism and services; 47 Language, communication and culture
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business > HF5410 Marketing. Distribution of Products
Divisions:	Liverpool Business School
Publisher:	Emerald
Date of acceptance:	26 December 2025
Date Deposited:	07 Jan 2026 16:00
Last Modified:	07 Jan 2026 16:00
DOI or ID number:	10.1108/CCIJ-04-2025-0089
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27795

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