Importance of sensory quality signals in consumers’ food choice

Abstract

The widest application of sensory marketing can be found in the wine market where varieties, sensory descriptions, and interpretive sensory labels are extensively used as sensory quality signals (extrinsic sensory cues). Sensory marketing for other food products such as fruits and vegetables is quite limited. Extrinsic sensory cues bring numerous advantages to consumers (e.g. empower choice), to producers (e.g. increase consumer loyalty), and to the environment (e.g. reduce food waste). For this reason, the ensuing question is whether the adaption of existing sensory marketing techniques from wine marketing to fruits and vegetables would be profitable. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the influence of sensory quality signals on purchase decisions for three product categories (wine, tomatoes, and apples) in a comparative design. Choice experiments were conducted in Germany (N = 924), and the data were analysed using hierarchical bayes estimation to ascertain if consumers value specific sensory quality signals (variety, sensory description, and interpretive sensory label). Moreover, latent class analyses were performed to determine how different consumer segments take sensory quality signals into account when making food choices. The results revealed that sensory quality signals are important and that sensory descriptions are preferred over the names of the varieties or interpretive sensory labels. Furthermore, the results denoted that similar consumer segments exist for tomatoes and apples, with one segment (32% and 38%, respectively) each paying particular attention to sensory quality signals. For wine, two corresponding segments are identified, which indicates the more advanced stage of development in sensory marketing.