The impact of horizontal location of a product on consumers’ attention, inferences, memory and choice is explored. A centrality bias in searching for products as well as in making a choice is found. Using eye-tracking procedures it is shown that brands in the horizontal center receive more visual attention during both the initial and final stages of the search process. The extra attention received by the central product causes it to be chosen more even though the product is objectively the same quality as the other products in the array. Eye tracking data showed that whereas the central product receives more attention during both the initial and final stages of the search process, the initial fixations do not predict choice. It is only the final fixations that are progressively focused on the centrally located product that predict choice (central gaze cascade effect).

A follow up question is asked: How can brands compete if they cannot take the central location on the shelf? Can brands generate attention to offset the impact of centrality? Other attention grabbing mechanisms and their impact on visual search and brand choice are explored.