The effect of fat content on visual attention and choice of red meat and differences across gender

•Fat content impacts visual attention, choice reaction time and choice of red meat products.•The impact of fat content is gender specific.•Female consumers pay more attention and require less time to choose products with lower fat content.•Male consumers pay more attention to products with higher fat content.

In this paper we study the effect of fat content on visual attention and choice of red meat, as well as differences across gender. In an eye-tracking study, conducted with 105 Portuguese meat consumers, we find that fat content has an impact on visual attention, choice reaction time and choice of red meat products. Consumers pay more attention and choose more often meat products with lower fat content. This impact is further gender specific, with female consumers paying more attention and requiring less time to choose meat products with lower fat content. In contract, male consumers pay more attention to red meat products with higher fat content, but spend more time to choose red meat products with lower fat content. We discuss managerial and theoretical implications in relation to marketing of red meat products.