Monday, July 7, 2025

Use Color Codes Which Catch Shoppers’ Eyes

My thanks to Ernesto Cardamone, Gaetano “Nino” Miceli, and Maria Antonietta Raimondo from University of Calabria for this guest post.

Why do some products jump off the shelf while others blend into the background? The answer might be as simple—and complex—as color.
     We researchers identified what we call category color codes: the color patterns consumers associate with specific product categories. These codes shape what we expect to see in each aisle of the supermarket, and they influence how quickly we recognize and trust a product. For instance, in Italy, olive oil is often associated with yellow and green.
     But what happens when a brand wants to both fit in and stand out? This tension—between conformity and distinctiveness—is central to how products succeed or fail on the shelf. If a package looks too different, shoppers may not recognize it as belonging to the intended category. But if it looks too similar, it may never get noticed.
     In our study, we focused on the two most dominant colors on product packaging. Prior studies and an image mining analysis that we conducted on 10 product categories had shown that packages typically use two main colors—one covering around 49% of the surface, the other around 19%—with additional colors covering limited areas. So, we concentrated on how this main + secondary color combo affects shopper attention.
     We conducted a lab study, using mock two-colored packages in a controlled setting, and a field study in a supermarket. Using eye-tracking technology, we monitored how long shoppers looked at different product packages, as longer eye contact is a reliable indicator of attention.
     The most effective strategy we found? Choose one dominant color that aligns with category norms, and pair it with a second color that breaks those norms. Blend in just enough to be trusted, but stand out enough to be noticed.
     For manufacturers, these findings are important for setting the most effective color combination in packages. Moreover, for brands looking to piggyback on a category leader, the advice is clear: mimic the leader’s primary color, but use a contrasting secondary color to set yourself apart. For retailers, this insight can inform how products should be arranged on shelves to maximize attention.
     So next time you're walking the aisles, take a closer look—you might notice that what grabs your attention isn’t just a bright color, but a smart one.

© 2025 Ernesto Cardamone, Gaetano “Nino” Miceli, and Maria Antonietta Raimondo

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Image at top of post based on photo by Rene Terp from Pexels

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