Units or Pounds? How Anchoring on Salient Price Information Influences Perceptions of Product Value.

This article investigates how the format of pricing—unit-based (e.g., "$1 each") versus weight-based (e.g., "$2 per pound")—interacts with product weight to influence grocery consumers' perceptions of product value and purchase behavior. Across multiple studies, including field experiments, the research finds that consumers anchor on the nominal value of the most visually salient price format, leading to unit-based pricing being perceived as better value for products weighing less than one pound, and weight-based pricing favored for products weighing more than one pound. This anchoring effect persists even when both price formats are displayed, with salience driving consumer focus, and can significantly affect actual sales. The findings suggest that retailers can enhance profitability by aligning the salient price format with product weight, a practice currently inconsistently applied among major U.S. grocers.