Consumer acceptance measurement focusing on a specified sensory attribute of products: Can the attribute-specified degree of satisfaction-difference (DOSD) method replace hedonic scaling?

A specific attribute can play an important role in determining consumers’ perceived quality and acceptance of a product. Kim, van Hout, Dessirier, and Lee (2018) proposed a new affective method, the degree of satisfaction-difference (DOSD) method, to study consumer acceptance in terms of overall satisfaction with products. In the present study, this DOSD method was further developed to assess satisfaction for a specified attribute of products rather than overall satisfaction, and this modification is referred to as the attribute-specified DOSD method. To test its applicability, 11 bouillon products (including a reference product) varying in viscosity were used as stimuli. Satisfaction with the perceived mouthfeel thickness, which is a viscosity-related sensory attribute, was evaluated with the attribute-specified DOSD method and with a 10-point category scale for overall liking as the control method. Two groups of consumers performed either the attribute-specified DOSD method or hedonic scaling over two repeated sessions. Results showed that the satisfaction patterns of the attribute-specified DOSD method were similar to those of the hedonic scaling across products, confirming that the mouthfeel thickness was a determinant of consumer acceptance for bouillon products. Examining the test reliability in terms of consistency of consumers’ responses for the same stimulus in different sessions, both groups showed consistent results. The subjects who performed the attribute-specified DOSD method were also segmented based on the degree of satisfaction with the reference product. Here, each consumer sensory segment showed different patterns on satisfaction with other test products. These findings demonstrate the potential of the attribute-specified DOSD method for measuring the consumer responses to the level/quality of an important attribute/dimension and highlight its usefulness for consumer sensory segmentation.     

Considering the application of a mixed reality context and consumer segmentation when evaluating emotional response to tea break snacks

Emotional response is dependent on context and the individual. Increasingly consumer scientists are collecting emotional response data as it gives deeper insights over liking concerning engagement with food products. This research investigated the impact of context on consumer emotional response to tea-break snacks across different context including the use of mixed-reality. It also aimed to determine if consumers can be segmented according to their patterns of emotional response as opposed to liking. Consumers (n = 120) evaluated two tea-break snacks across three different contexts (sensory booth, evoked mixed-reality café, real life café) using a rate-all-that-apply EsSense 25 questionnaire. Cluster analysis reduced the 25 emotional terms to a more manageable nine categories of emotional response for data analysis. Using those categories, three emotion-based segments of tea-break snack consumers were identified. One emotionally disengaged, and two positively engaged but at different levels of intensity and for different attributes. For most consumers, mixed-reality evoked similar emotional responses and discrimination between the snacks as the real café suggesting it is a useful technique for evaluating ecologically valid consumer response. Responses in the sensory booths were different. This, suggests including context in consumer emotional response data collection is important. Furthermore, this research suggests that researchers should consider including context within consumer testing that involves emotional response and that mixed-reality serves as a promising approach to do this. It also highlights that average consumer emotional responses are unlikely to be representative and that segmenting consumers according to their emotional response will reveal deeper insights into product response.     

Influence of chewing gum packaging design on consumer expectation and willingness to buy. An analysis of functional, sensory and experience attributes

This paper studies the influence of two design variables of chewing gum packaging, those of colour and format, on consumer expectations of specific product attributes and willingness to buy. Some 390 consumers participated in this investigation, evaluating a total of 30 functional, sensory and experience attributes for nine different packaging designs. The results demonstrate that packaging format influences expectations of functional attributes, sensory attributes of texture and experience attributes, while colour influences expectations of sensory attributes of taste and flavour and experience attributes. The study also reveals that willingness to buy is more closely related to the colour of the packaging than to its format.     

Factors affecting dry-cured ham consumer acceptability

The objectives of the present study were (1) to compare the relative importance of price, processing time, texture and intramuscular fat in purchase intention of dry-cured ham through conjoint analysis, (2) to evaluate the effect of dry-cured ham appearance on consumer expectations, and (3) to describe the consumer sensory preferences of dry-cured ham using external preference mapping. Texture and processing time influenced the consumer preferences in conjoint analysis. Red colour intensity, colour uniformity, external fat and white film presence/absence influenced consumer expectations. The consumer disliked hams with bitter and metallic flavour and with excessive saltiness and piquantness. Differences between expected and experienced acceptability were found, which indicates that the visual preference of consumers does not allow them to select a dry-cured ham that satisfies their sensory preferences of flavour and texture.     

Exploration of a new consumer test method based on metacognitive certainty

Successful product development and marketing necessitate a study of the consumer concept of culture-specific or deep-positioned branded food. In this study, a new consumer test method was designed based on an authenticity test and used as a reference frame for the target concept without an upsetting story. The response format of this method included the metacognitive certainty response following the sensory authenticity response using the A-Not A test procedure. The method was applied to study the concept of goso flavor, as perceived by 91 female consumers with three commercial soymilk products, having each consumer evaluate each product 45 times over three days. The repeated responses of sensory authenticity were analyzed as mean scores and signal detection theory (SDT) d-prime (d′) values of the product difference. From the metacognitive certainty responses after the sensory authenticity response, a new quantitative group measure of d-prime metacognition (d′_MC) was calculated in the SDT context and compared with the other outputs. The measure ranged from negative to positive values, indicating a mismatch to a match for the concept of each product. Data analyses were conducted on both pooled data and segmented data, which was driven from the results of cluster analyses using the mean sensory authenticity scores and SDT C values (estimates of response bias about the concept tested). The results showed that d′_MC of each product corresponded to the mean scores and d′ with the advantage of easy interpretation. Overall, d′_MC can be a useful group measure for studying the consumer concept towards food and beverages.     

Liking patterns moderate the relationship between sensory,emotional and context appropriateness profiles: Evidences from a Global Profile study on alcoholic cocktails

This study aimed to further the development and application of the Global profile approach, by (1) extending it to another product category, alcoholic cocktails; (2) investigating the relationship between sensory-emotions-context appropriateness in consumers differing for liking patterns; and (3) integrating the approach beyond product differentiation to consumer differentiation, thus improving and gaining a further insight into differences among consumers (consumer characterization). This was done taking into account consumer differences in oral responsiveness, personality traits, familiarity, explicit responses to products and implicit attitudes towards brand.Six alcoholic bitter-based cocktail samples were rated for liking, sensory properties, emotions and context appropriateness. Three clusters with different liking patterns for alcoholic cocktails were identified: ‘Fruit-bitter lovers’, ‘New-bitter lovers’ and ‘Classic-bitter lovers. Very small differences in sensory evaluation were found between the three clusters, while instead large differences were found for emotions and, to a lesser extent, for context appropriateness. Furthermore, the relationships among emotions, contexts and sensory properties were different in the three clusters.Clusters differed partly by gender, personality traits and alcohol consumption. A higher percentage of females was found in ‘Fruit-bitter lovers’; these consumers were also characterized by a higher Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) scores and a lower level of alcohol consumption. ‘New-bitter lovers’ liked cocktails with very different sensory characteristics who were associated with specific contexts of consumption. These consumers were less involved with cocktails than the other clusters. ‘Classic-bitter lovers’ cluster liked a broader variety of cocktails and also showed a more implicit positive attitude towards the bitter ingredient brand and a higher familiarity for cocktails in general. The information collected through this multidimensional approach will allow a better understanding of the differences in liking patterns among different groups of cocktail consumers and may be used to improve strategies for product innovation and consumer targeting.     

Food satisfaction: Integrating feelings before,during and after food intake

Consumers’ satisfaction is important for the food industry to ensure product success. Determinants to food satisfaction are multifactorial and a method approaching the multiple determinants would provide a detailed picture of determinant behind consumers’ hedonic food appreciation.The aims of this study were (1) to develop a method that could give detailed information about sensory- and food satisfaction (2) to study differences in sensory satisfaction in a case study, and (3) to study the factors related to food satisfaction. Focus group interviews and a literature study provided an overview of factors with potential to affect food satisfaction. A total of four questionnaires, covering factors before-, during- and after intake as well as demographics, were developed to measure factors related to satisfaction. The questionnaires were utilised in a cross-over consumer study with 79 subjects consuming two sensory different variants of chicken soup. Soups were sensory evaluated utilising expert statements. The consumer study showed that sensory satisfaction was highly influenced by liking of taste and appearance, whereas liking of odour and texture influenced sensory satisfaction moderately. Food satisfaction was influenced by factors measured during- and post intake; sensory satisfaction, fulfilment of expectations, reason for ending intake, product performance relative to expectations, hunger and fullness after intake were found highly influential in food satisfaction. Pre-intake factors did not substantially influence food satisfaction. Though the use of multiple variables gave a detailed picture of factors involved in food satisfaction, there was still variation in food satisfaction that remained unaccounted.     

The effect of technology information on consumer expectations and liking of beef

European consumers increasingly attach value to process characteristics of food. Although beef technologies are hardly communicated to consumers, providing consumer-oriented information about technology application might increase perceived transparency and consumer acceptance. This study investigates how information about beef technologies influences consumer expectations and liking of beef. Beef consumers in Belgium (n = 108) and Norway (n = 110) participated in an information experiment combined with sensory testing in which each consumer tasted three beef muscles treated with different technologies: unprocessed tenderloin M. Psoas major, muscle profiled M. Infraspinatus, and marinated (by injection) M. Semitendinosus. The findings indicate that detailed information about beef technologies can enhance consumers' expectations and liking of beef. However, this effect differs between countries and beef technologies. Information becomes either less relevant when the product is actually tasted, as indicated by the findings in Norway, or more relevant when information is confirmed by own experience during tasting, as indicated by the findings in Belgium.     

Alternative protein sources in Western diets: Food product development and consumer acceptance of spirulina-filled pasta

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is currently being increasingly researched for its usability and suitability in human nutrition. The inclusion of alternative protein sources, such as spirulina, in familiar products is a possible strategy to nudge consumers towards dietary change in Western societies. Filled pasta variants with three levels of spirulina-soy-extrudate in the filling (10%, 30% or 50%) were developed and investigated for their sensory characteristics and consumer liking. Recipe development was based on the concepts of flavor-flavor learning (beet-ginger or tomato) and masking (lemon-basil) to account for the musty and earthy notes of the alga. Consumer tests were conducted in Germany (n = 139), the Netherlands (n = 137) and France (n = 144), and conventional sensory profiling was accomplished with trained panelists (n = 12). Consumers preferred the lemon-basil flavor over tomato and beet-ginger flavored fillings. As expected, liking decreased with increased extrudate content, regardless of the flavor. For all flavors expected liking was higher than liking after product exposure; for the lemon-basil flavor the gap was the smallest. It was shown that low general food neophobia and familiarity with spirulina promoted consumer liking. The sensory profiling revealed that the spirulina-soy-extrudate content affected all sensory attributes identified across all flavors, but for the tomato flavor the most. Overall, this study confirms that it is important to consider differences in consumer motivation as well as the product’s conceptual and intrinsic sensory characteristics in new product development.     

Studying the influence of package shape and colour on consumer expectations of milk desserts using word association and conjoint analysis

Food packaging plays a major role in attracting consumer attention and generating sensory and hedonic expectations; which could affect their product perception and purchase decisions. In the present study word association and conjoint analysis were used to study the influence of package shape and colour on consumer expectations of milk desserts. Six images of milk dessert packages with different colour and shape were presented to 105 consumers, who were asked to complete a word association task and to score their expected liking and willingness to purchase the desserts. Both package shape and colour affected consumers expected liking scores and their sensory expectations regarding the desserts. Consumers associations were mainly related to sensory characteristics. Both methodologies provided an interesting insight on the consumer’s expectations generated by the packages and could be useful in order to design packages which create appropriate expectations regarding the product.     

The future of consumer neuroscience in food research

The use (and abuse) of neuroscience and psychological research methodologies has become a hot topic in consumer research, particularly in the area of food product research. Neuro- and psychological science can certainly help consumer and sensory researchers and product developers in the food industry better understand consumers’ unconscious motivators and/or reactions and even lend insights to claims and sensory perceptions. Commercial tools for leveraging these methodologies continue to get better, faster and cheaper. However, the field of consumer neuroscience has been plagued with pseudoscience and “neurohype,” and researchers have experienced some disappointments when trying to incorporate these measures into their research. From EEG headsets to facial coding, consumer neuroscience has never been so accessible (or confusing). We will discuss how to better evaluate potential methodologies for use as well as discuss best practices and the future of the field.     

Consumer acceptability of coffee as affected by situational conditions and involvement

For understanding consumer behaviors more closely to what would be observed in real-life, “situational” tests has been widely studied using two main approaches: ‘physical environment’ or ‘cognitive evocation’. Both approaches have shown advantages in adopting consumption context in consumer tests. However, it has not been investigated whether either one of the approaches may be more effective or whether using these approaches together would be more advantageous than using each solely in terms of bring in consumption context. The aims were to understand the effects of evocation in different environmental settings on consumers liking and to explore the differences of these effects based on consumer involvement levels. Consumers participated in one of the 4 contextual conditions of 2 × 2 factorial design, consisting of ‘evocation’ factor (with vs. without evocation instruction) and ‘environment’ factor (booth vs. simulated café), respectively. Consumers evaluated liking for two coffee samples and responded to a coffee involvement questionnaire. The results showed that both factors have influenced on consumer liking. These effects were different according to coffee types differing in hedonic levels. Vividness of evocation lasted longer in the simulated café setting, implying physical cues reinforcing cognitive evocation. When consumers were classified according to involvement scores, liking score of the high involvement group was little affected by either situational factors, while low involvement group was highly affected by the ‘environment’ factor. The findings of the study provide important perspectives to be considered for researches into “situational” tests, including which situational approach to apply as well as consumer involvement.     

The impact of evoked consumption contexts and appropriateness on emotion responses

Sensory and consumer scientists are seeing the need to explore broader measures, such as product-driven emotions, to be able to fully understand and satisfy consumers’ demands. However, to date, the consumer methodologies used in food-related emotion research have neglected a crucial element linked to emotions: the consumption context. This is a concern, because consumers’ emotional responses to food are elicited by many other sources apart from the sensory properties of the food itself. The present research aimed to fill in this gap of knowledge by exploring how evoked consumption contexts affect responses obtained from an emotion questionnaire. Two food stimuli (apple and chocolate brownie) and three different consumption contexts (a ‘weekend breakfast’, an ‘afternoon snack’, and ‘after a special dinner’) were used to vary the level of product-context appropriateness. A within-subject design was used in which 157 participants first completed an emotion questionnaire (36 terms, checklist format) in response to each of the evoked consumption contexts (presented in written format). A week later, the same participants completed the same emotion questionnaire while imagining themselves eating an apple or chocolate brownie (shown as images) without any given context (control condition), and then under the three different contexts (random monadic sequential order). When the chocolate brownie was the food stimulus, 20 of 36 emotion responses were significantly different from context to context (including the no-context condition). Conversely, only 9 significant differences were established when apple was the food stimulus. It was also found that frequency of use of positive emotion terms was higher in those consumption contexts that were considered more appropriate, whereas negative emotion terms were more frequently selected when the context was perceived as less appropriate for the product. Taken together, these findings highlight how the context in which a food is consumed (even if imagined) can affect consumers’ emotion responses towards it. More broadly, they demonstrate the reciprocal effect that the context and the product have on the elicited emotion responses, which are not situationally invariant. This research also explored how psychological traits related to emotional eating affected the emotion responses and found that in general higher emotional eaters selected a higher number of emotion terms (positive and negative). This study represents a needed advance in food-related emotion research, and upon replication of the results with other product-context combinations, could offer an easy-to-implement methodology that should more closely match the emotion responses that consumers would elicit in real-life situations while eating and drinking.     

Identifying ideal products using three different consumer profiling methodologies. Comparison with external preference mapping

The aim of the present work was to identify consumers’ ideal product by three consumer profiling techniques and to compare the agreement among the three techniques. Two studies were carried out in which consumers evaluated seven samples of orange-flavoured powdered drinks. In the first study 108 consumers scored their overall liking, whereas in the second one three groups of 50 consumers evaluated the sensory characteristics of the samples using projective mapping, a check-all-that-apply question or intensity scales. After completing the task consumers were asked to identify their ideal product.The different approaches yielded similar information regarding the sensory characteristics of the products and consumers’ ideal product, providing similar recommendations for product improvement. However, they differed in the position of consumers’ optimum product within the sensory space defined by the sensory characteristics of the evaluated samples. Projective mapping identified the consensus position of the ideal product within the range of sensory characteristics of the evaluated samples, providing similar results than external preference mapping. Differences and similarities between the methodologies are discussed, as well as potential applications.     

The effect of consumption context on consumer hedonics,emotional response and beer choice

The context of a consumer test affects participant response. Data collected in a sensory laboratory is likely to have little predictive value of consumer experience in real-life situations. This study determined the effects of context on consumer response to two commercial beers. Regular beer consumers (n = 100) rated liking and emotional response using ten beer-specific emotion categories for two beers (Lager and Ale) under three different conditions: (1) a sensory testing facility (Lab), (2) a natural consumption environment (Bar) and (3) using an evoked context (Evoked). Their choice of product to take home was also recorded. Overall results showed significant product differentiation for liking (F (99, 2, 1) = 8.46, p = 0.004) and product choice (Q (1, N = 100) = 4.85, p = 0.028) in the Bar but not in the Lab or Evoked context. Emotional variables highlighted significant product differentiation (p < 0.05) but more so in the Bar than in the Lab or Evoked context. However, clustering participants on liking revealed three distinct clusters differing in sensitivity to context. Two clusters showed opposing but consistent preference for one of the two products regardless of context. The third cluster was more influenced by context, showing a more discriminating response in the Bar. These findings showed that consumers differ in their degree of context-sensitivity and the extent to which evoking a context gives similar results to a real environment. They also highlighted the importance of segmentation and confirmed the added insights gained by measuring emotional response compared to liking.