Acceptance of Chocolate by Preference Cluster Mapping Across Belgium and Poland

Abstract

ABSTRACT There are four aims in this study. First, to see which sensory characteristics of plain chocolate drive preference in four sensory preference segments (Januszewska & Viaene, 2001b) and five personality segments (Januszewska et al., 2000) established in the market survey conducted across Belgium and Poland. Second, to compare the Preference Mapping approach between trained and consumer panels with the objective to see if the consumer is able to characterise product in an objective way. Third, the paramount influence of the quality, i.e., the source of origin of the cacao beans, is explained in experimental samples. Finally, the importance of intrinsic (sensory) and extrinsic (package, price, novelty, etc.) cues among the nine segments is mapped. The research is based on an experimental design for thirteen plain chocolates. The survey was conducted in the north, the south and the capitals of both countries. Respondents evaluated their preference towards plain chocolate and the perception of an idea...