Do consumer perceptions of a product category relate to their sensory properties? A case study on energy bars with consumers of high and low familiarity

Goods in a market are typically presented in discrete categories so that consumers can easily find their way among the myriad of products available. However, sub-categorical distinctions are often less clear. This study aimed to explore how consumer perceptions of products within a category relate to their sensory properties. By analyzing how consumers sorted energy bars and the vocabulary used to describe the resulting clusters, we found that consumers generally agree on how they perceive bars high in protein. However, energy bar consumers with high familiarity demonstrated greater levels of differentiation between clusters compared to energy bar consumers with low familiarity. They were also more consensual in their sorting. Furthermore, sensory properties were found to play a larger role in determining product clusters for consumers with high familiarity than with low familiarity. These findings shed light on the factors influencing consumer perception of energy bars. Additionally, this approach offers a simple way to investigate consumer perception of a product category and could be useful to marketers and product developers who wish to refine their offerings to better meet consumer expectations.

Practical Applications

The method for category appraisal described in this paper emphasizes consumer perception of products and factors, such as sensory properties and nutrition facts, that influence these perceptions. It departs from traditional approaches that focus on individual product descriptions and instead focuses on product groupings perceived by consumers. This approach allows for deeper insights to be obtained about product categories as a whole, which can inform effective marketing strategies and efficient product development.