Preference Test
Preference test, acceptance test or affective tests are used to determine whether a specific consumer group like or prefer a particular product.
This is necessary for the development and marketing of new products, as no laboratory test can tell whether the public will accept a new product or not.
A large number of panelists, representing the general public must be used; thus, consumer testing is expensive and time consuming.
A relevant segment of the population needs to test the product. For example, if it is being aimed at over 50s, senior citizens must make up the taste panel and not mothers with young children.
The opposite would apply of the product was aimed at young children.
Ethnic product must be tested either by the group for which they are aimed or by a wide cross section of the public if the aim is to introduce the products to a broader market than is currently interested.
Panelists are not trained for this type of sensory testing. All that is required from them is that they give their opinion of the samples.
However they are normally screened to make sure that they are users or potential users of the product to be tested.
Typically, they are asked to fill out a screening sheet and answers questions about how much they like the product, and how often they consume it.
Anyone who does not like the product is asked not to take the test. The screening sheet may also ask for demographic information, such as gender and age range of the panelists.
The specific questions for each screening sheet are determined by whoever sets up the test, based on the consumer group they aimed to target with their product.
The simplest preference test are ranking test, where panelists are given two or more samples and asked to rank them in order preference.
In the paired preference test, panelists are given two samples and asked to circle the one they prefer.
Often, the panelists are asked to taste a sample and score it on a nine point hedonic scale from “dislike extremely” or “like extremely”. This type of test is called a likeability test.
Preference Test
