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Weingarten N, Bach L, Roosen J, Hartmann M. Every step you take: Nudging animal welfare product purchases in a virtual supermarket. Appetite 2024; 197:107316. [PMID: 38492582 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2024.107316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Animal welfare (AW) is a growing concern for consumers in Germany; however, not all consumers regularly purchase products that have been produced according to high AW standards. The goal of the present study is to test the effect of a multilayered nudge to increase the availability and improve the visibility of AW products in a 3D online virtual supermarket (VS). The nudge included a shelf with AW products (referred to as AW shelf) which was made visible through banners and footsteps on the floor of the VS. The sample of this pre-registered experiment consisted of n = 374 German consumers who regularly purchase meat, milk, and eggs. The results demonstrated that the multilayered nudge was highly effective: the percentage of AW products purchased in the nudging condition was almost twice as high as in the control group. Furthermore, we investigated variables that mediate (ease of finding AW products in the VS) and moderate (price sensitivity) the effectiveness of the multilayered nudge, but no evidence for an effect was obtained. We conclude that multilayered nudges may be a promising tool to increase consumers' AW product purchases. More research is needed to replicate this finding with a field study in a real supermarket.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Weingarten
- University of Bonn, Institute for Food and Resource Economics, Chair of Agricultural and Food Market Research, Germany.
| | - Leonie Bach
- University of Bonn, Institute for Food and Resource Economics, Chair of Agricultural and Food Market Research, Germany
| | - Jutta Roosen
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Management, Chair of Marketing and Consumer Research, Germany; Technical University of Munich, HEF World Agricultural Systems Center, Germany
| | - Monika Hartmann
- University of Bonn, Institute for Food and Resource Economics, Chair of Agricultural and Food Market Research, Germany
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Zulkarnain AHB, Kókai Z, Gere A. Assessment of a virtual sensory laboratory for consumer sensory evaluations. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25498. [PMID: 38333840 PMCID: PMC10850967 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
As technology advances in the field of food sciences, the sensory experience of food consumption remains complex and influenced by various factors. Traditional consumer testing, often conducted in isolated booth environments, presents challenges in terms of construct validity and user engagement for perception formation. The growing accessibility and sophistication of virtual reality (VR) technology offer a promising avenue for research. This study focuses on the assessment of a virtual sensory laboratory, seamlessly integrating traditional sensory practices into the virtual realm to explore disparities in consumer responses, especially in sensory analysis. The virtual laboratory, designed for compatibility with VR gear, closely resembles a sensory booth. The virtual environment enables the researchers to change the visual clues of the products being tested as well as the surroundings (e.g., colors, furniture, or even the environment). Additionally, the level of immersion can be enhanced by playing any type of music, if needed. One crucial question is to assess the opinions of the participants, if they feel comfortable in the created environment. Specific participant numbers are omitted, and the study engages participants. The success of this initiative could signify a substantial advance in analysis and cost savings, adding a layer of significance to the study's potential impact on optimizing research practices. The study lays the groundwork for optimal VR practices and anticipates further exploration with immersive elements to deepen our understanding of how virtual reality influences consumer behaviour in food selection compared to traditional sensory methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Hannan Bin Zulkarnain
- Department of Postharvest Science, Trade, Supply Chain and Sensory Analysis, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-1118 Budapest, Villányi út. 29-31, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Kókai
- Department of Postharvest Science, Trade, Supply Chain and Sensory Analysis, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-1118 Budapest, Villányi út. 29-31, Hungary
| | - Attila Gere
- Department of Postharvest Science, Trade, Supply Chain and Sensory Analysis, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, H-1118 Budapest, Villányi út. 29-31, Hungary
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Long JW, Masters B, Sajjadi P, Simons C, Masterson TD. The development of an immersive mixed-reality application to improve the ecological validity of eating and sensory behavior research. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1170311. [PMID: 37538924 PMCID: PMC10395832 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1170311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The modern eating environment has been implicated as a driving force of the obesity epidemic. Mixed reality applications may improve traditional methodological assessments of eating behavior by improving the ecological validity of the laboratory setting. Methods Research experts evaluated the utility and ecological validity of a mixed reality application that allowed immersion within virtual environments through utilizing the passthrough cameras of the head mounted display to view and interact with real foods. An initial evaluation was conducted that involved three virtual environments: a traditional laboratory booth, a non-textured restaurant, and a full-textured restaurant. The feedback from the initial evaluation was used to create a new virtual restaurant environment and a subsequent evaluation was conducted. Results Nearly all research experts suggested adding social cues such as people and background noise to create a more authentic and ecologically valid experience. The experts scored the new virtual restaurant environment to be more acceptable than eating or conducting research in a sensory booth but scored lower when compared to conducting research in a real-world restaurant setting. Discussion The results of this evaluation suggest that mixed reality applications may be a new methodology to assess environmental influences of eating behavior and may be a promising direction for eating behavior and sensory science research.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W. Long
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Bart Masters
- The Center for Immersive Experiences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Pejman Sajjadi
- Department of Software Engineering and Game Development, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA, United States
| | - Christopher Simons
- Department of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Travis D. Masterson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Colla K, Keast R, Mohebbi M, Russell CG, Liem DG. Testing the validity of immersive eating environments against laboratory and real life settings. Food Qual Prefer 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2022.104717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Getting started with virtual reality for sensory and consumer science: Current practices and future perspectives. Food Res Int 2021; 145:110410. [PMID: 34112413 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
While virtual reality (VR) has become increasingly popular in food-related research, there has been a lack of clarity, precision, and guidelines regarding what exactly constitutes a virtual reality study, as well as the options available to the researcher for designing and implementing it. This review provides a practical guide for sensory and consumer scientists interested in exploring the emerging opportunities offered by VR. We take a deep dive into the components that make up a VR study, including hardware, software, and response measurement methods, all the while being grounded in immersion and presence theory. We then review how these building blocks are put together to create two major categories of research scenarios: product selection, which can be entirely created in VR, and food evaluation, which involve tasting products in real life. For each category, we review current literature with a focus on experimental design, then highlight future avenues and technical development opportunities within sensory and consumer research. Finally, we evaluate limitations and ethical issues in VR food research, and offer future perspectives which go above and beyond ensuring ecological validity in product testing.
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Hoenink JC, Mackenbach JD, van der Laan LN, Lakerveld J, Waterlander W, Beulens JWJ. Recruitment of Participants for a 3D Virtual Supermarket: Cross-sectional Observational Study. JMIR Form Res 2021; 5:e19234. [PMID: 33560230 PMCID: PMC7902190 DOI: 10.2196/19234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Virtual supermarkets offer a practical and affordable setting to test the efficacy of different pricing and nudging strategies before they are implemented in the real world. Despite the advantages of using virtual supermarkets for this purpose, conducting studies in online settings is challenging with regard to recruitment and retention of sufficient and suitable participants. Objective To describe cost, time, and retention with regard to participants recruited using various strategies and potential sociodemographic differences between participants recruited via different strategies. Methods This cross-sectional study used data from a randomized controlled trial in which 455 Dutch adults with low and high educational levels were invited to shop 5 times in a 3D virtual supermarket. Participants were recruited via social media and flyers. A log that tracked the costs of and time spent on the different recruitment strategies was kept by the study team. Outcome measures included the cost of recruitment strategies, the time investment by researchers, and recruitment and attrition rates of participants in the study. Results The median age of study completers was 31.0 (IQR 25.0) and 157 out of 346 study completers (45.4%) were highly educated. Out of the 455 included participants, 235 (51.6%) were recruited via social media campaigns, 131 (28.8%) via home-delivered flyers, 38 (8.4%) via flyers directly distributed by the study team, and 46 (10.1%) via word-of-mouth. Of all paid recruitment strategies, social media campaigns were the cheapest and least time-consuming, whereas the distribution of flyers by the study team was the most expensive and time-consuming recruitment strategy. Age, sex, overweight status, employment situation, and number of adults within the household varied by recruitment strategy. Conclusions Using different recruitment strategies resulted in the efficient recruitment of a representative study sample and retention of participants was relatively high. While “word-of-mouth” was the most cost- and time-effective recruitment strategy, using only one type of recruitment strategy could result in a demographically skewed study population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody C Hoenink
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joreintje D Mackenbach
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Laura Nynke van der Laan
- Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg School of Humanities and Digital Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Lakerveld
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wilma Waterlander
- Department of Public Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joline W J Beulens
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Taufik D, Kunz MC, Onwezen MC. Changing consumer behaviour in virtual reality: A systematic literature review. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR REPORTS 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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Effects of Context and Virtual Reality Environments on the Wine Tasting Experience, Acceptability, and Emotional Responses of Consumers. Foods 2020; 9:foods9020191. [PMID: 32075018 PMCID: PMC7073756 DOI: 10.3390/foods9020191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Wine tasting is a multidimensional experience that includes contextual information from tasting environments. Formal sensory tastings are limited by the use of booths that lack ecological validity and engagement. Virtual reality (VR) can overcome this limitation by simulating different environmental contexts. Perception, sensory acceptability, and emotional responses of a Cabernet Sauvignon wine under traditional sensory booths, contextual environments, and VR simulations were evaluated and compared. Participants (N = 53) performed evaluations under five conditions: (1) traditional booths, (2) bright-restaurant (real environment with bright lights), (3) dark-restaurant (real environment with dimly lit candles), (4) bright-VR (VR restaurant with bright lights), and (5) dark-VR (VR restaurant with dimly lit candles). Participants rated the acceptability of aroma, sweetness, acidity, astringency, mouthfeel, aftertaste, and overall liking (9-point hedonic scale), and intensities of sweetness, acidity, and astringency (15-point unstructured line-scale). Results showed that context (booths, real, or VR) affected the perception of the wine’s floral aroma (dark-VR = 8.6 vs. booths = 7.5). Liking of the sensory attributes did not change under different environmental conditions. Emotional responses under bright-VR were associated with “free”, “glad”, and “enthusiastic”; however, under traditional booths, they were related to “polite” and “secure”. “Nostalgic” and “daring” were associated with dark-VR. VR can be used to understand contextual effects on consumer perceptions.
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