Month: March 2021

Before launching a functional product, such as deodorant, it is essential to measure its effectiveness. Measuring a functional product’s level of efficacy allows brands to make substantive claims about their product’s performance supported by scientific research. Brands that make unsubstantiated claims in marketing materials or on the packaging of their products can run into difficulty with regulatory bodies and face hefty fines. To prevent this from happening to your brand, you should prioritise efficacy testing. But what exactly is efficacy testing?

What is Efficacy Testing?

Efficacy testing is the process of rigorously testing a product and putting it through various trials to confirm the attributes claimed in marketing materials. It is every bit as important as the sensory profiling your product went through. Even if the product appeals to consumers, they will still need scientifically-backed certainty that it will perform as described when they take it home. Products such as deodorants often claim to “offer 24-hour protection”. The claim is placed on all the product’s marketing materials such as labels, advertisements, and the company website. Efficacy testing will allow you to make these claims with confidence, as you’ll have expert scientific research to support your claims.

How Does Efficiency Testing Help to Create Brand Trustworthiness Among Consumers?

Consumers shop with certainty in mind and require evidence that products will perform as expected. To convince consumers of a product’s abilities, brands spend a lot of time and money on packaging research, marketing materials, and sample distributions. Although these marketing strategies can be effective, the most convincing evidence a customer needs is proof that the product has undergone extensive scientific testing by experts. Efficacy testing achieves this outcome by measuring a product’s performance using scientific methodology. The process is objective, and the metrics gathered during the testing process can be relayed directly to customers through your branding. Trust is an essential part of your relationship with consumers. The first step to gaining that trust is releasing a scientifically supported product that does what it claims to do.

What Are the Different Methods Used for Efficacy Testing?

There are many efficacy testing methodologies, but your product’s nature will determine which method is used. For example, make-up products must undergo rigorous clinical trials to prove their effectiveness. Antiperspirants, on the other hand, tend to undergo scientific testing conducted by trained assessors. Some products may also need to be tested in different locations, such as central testing locations or home-use testing placements. The duration of the testing period, the nature of the trial, and the feedback format all depend on your product. However, you can use all data collected during the testing process to support your product’s efficacy claims.

Why Choose Wirral Sensory Services for Efficacy Testing?

At Wirral Sensory Services, we understand how vital brand trustworthiness is for your product’s success. Our efficacy testing is designed to be objective, rigorous and relies on verified scientific methodologies. We have been providing efficacy testing services to start-ups and leading UK brands for over 20 years and have extensive experience testing a wide range of products. We have done it all, including assessing foot and oral malodour reduction products, testing antiperspirants and deodorants for in-vivo efficacy, and much more. Contact us today to find out more about how our high-quality efficacy testing services can help your brand live up to its claims.

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According to researchers, food manufacturers waste more than £30.4 billion a year on failed product launches. However, thorough market research methods, such as central location testing and packaging research, can reduce the likelihood of failing with a new product launch. Central location testing is essential for your product’s success, as it will provide you with real-time feedback from real consumers. When conducted correctly, the unbiased feedback received from this market research can help you adjust your food or drink product to meet your target market’s needs. So, what exactly is central location testing?

What is Central Location Testing?

Central location testing is a type of product market research that is conducted in a controlled environment. Unlike home-use testing, it is not conducted at the participant’s home, allowing for more objective feedback as all participants experience the same testing conditions. Central location tests are often referred to as ‘hallway tests’ as they are frequently conducted in community settings such as supermarket aisles, shopping centres, churches, schools, and city-centre eateries. Tests can also be performed in formal testing labs, depending on the type of the product and the nature of the feedback you require.

What Are the Benefits of Central Location Testing?

Many companies prefer central location testing as it is a cost-effective way to get accurate data, making it beneficial to brands of all sizes. Central location testing allows numerous participants to physically engage with your products in a neutral setting. The location allows you to have more control over the testing process, reduce bias, and produce more accurate results. For example, if you are conducting a taste test, all participants can be given the same food product or the same beverage in the same order. All participants can also be monitored in the same way by the same researchers, which further reduces bias. When launching a new product, it is essential to gain consumer feedback. Through central location testing, you can find out what the average consumer really thinks of your product. This research method allows you to understand your food product’s specific attributes, how it compares to competitors, and where to adjust it to better meet consumer’s needs. An added benefit is the frank feedback researchers can receive from central location testing. Researchers can observe the participants’ body language, facial expressions, and sensory impressions first-hand. When using taste testing, for example, this observational data can be crucial for effective product development.

What Are Some of the Different Types of Central Location Testing Methods?

The different central location testing methods include the paired comparison test, sequential monadic test, and the repeat paired comparison test, to name but a few. The paired comparison test gives researchers insight into how two products compare against each other. The test is conducted by providing participants with two products and a standardised set of criteria. Participants are then asked to assess the two products simultaneously against the standardised criteria provided. During the sequential monadic test, participants assess two different products individually and then simultaneously. Consumers tend to exaggerate the difference between products when assessing them simultaneously. To overcome this inherent bias, the paired comparison test sees participants assess the products individually first. After their initial individual evaluations, both products are to be assessed simultaneously. Participants can then rank the products more accurately. The repeat paired comparison test, on the other hand, aims to reduce bias and subjective participant preferences for a product through repetition. During the test, participants compare the same set of products two or more times. The repetition ensures that the initial feedback provided by participants was accurate and not random. For example, a product could be packaged in a blue container, but the participants could dislike the colour. This participant’s initial feedback may be biased because they dislike the packaging. However, after re-evaluating the same product, the participants will be more likely to move beyond their subjective dislikes, allowing for more accurate feedback.

Why choose Wirral Sensory Services for Your Central Location Testing Needs?

Central location testing allows researchers to gather valuable data if the correct testing method is used. With so many different central location testing methodologies to choose from, you need to consult an experienced research company such as Wirral Sensory Services to determine the most suitable method. Your central location test must also be designed and planned by qualified researchers to ensure that you get data that can truly benefit your product. Here at Wirral Sensory Services, we have been providing central location testing services to leading food and beverage brands for over 20 years. Our team of trained researchers have helped many clients develop products that consumers love and trust. Whether you are a startup testing a new product or an established brand trying to expand your market share, we can provide expert central location testing that helps you reach your objectives. Are you ready to start central location testing for your product? Contact us today, and one of our expert team members will be on hand to help you start your consumer research journey.

Food testing is an essential part of the successful launch of any new food product. Market research is essential for food companies because this is one of the most competitive consumer markets. Over the last few years, the UK food and drink industry has experienced rapid growth, making it ripe for new product development. According to a recent study, UK citizens spent nearly £250m extra on groceries every week in 2020, marking a 30% increase in grocery spending. Sadly, the increase in consumer spending does not guarantee that your product will be flying off the shelves. To grab and cement your position in the market, you will need to develop a high-quality product, which is only possible with thorough market research. Food testing research allows you to understand how consumers will respond to your product and gives you an opportunity to make the necessary adjustments. But which research methodology is suitable for your product? There are several research methods involved in food testing. The right food research method will depend on your product’s unique characteristics. Below we discuss the different food research methods that can help your product succeed.

Taste Testing

Product acceptance research, such as taste testing, allows you to understand how your target audience will respond to your product. The research can be conducted using central location testing or home-use testing. The data gathered from taste testing can help you adjust your product in accordance with consumer tastes, or you can use it to gauge how competitive your product is in the market. New products entering the market can use the data acquired from taste testing to reassure retailers that there is a demand for their product. The reassurance can go a long way to securing shelf space in busy UK supermarkets. Taste testing can be used to determine how your product compares with your competitors. Using this data will allow you to approach new customers with proof that your product outperforms competitors, or you can use those insights to improve your existing products. An added benefit of this research method is increased exposure to your target market, which, in turn, can increase sales.

Sensory Profiling

Sensory research takes the ‘liking’ out of product research and relies on trained panellists to measure your product against critical parameters. These measures are then used to create a unique sensory profile of your product or a competitor’s. Unlike taste testers, sensory panellists have a higher than average sensory acuity, which gives them a greater ability to identify different smells and tastes. Experienced sensory panellists can provide comprehensive overviews of various product changes that can allow you to develop the best tasting product, and consequently, maximise your sales.

Focus Group Study

Focus group studies are a form of qualitative research that will allow you to understand consumer opinions and reasoning. The studies generally see eight respondents come together and discuss research topics in detail for up to two hours. These discussions are not chit-chats among friends. Instead, respondents are led by accredited moderators and are focused on providing detailed feedback that can be invaluable in the early stages of your product development. Focus group studies can help you develop an effective new product launch or help you gain feedback on product design.

Packaging Research

Your product’s packaging is a fundamental part of its market success. Customers buy with their eyes. If your product fails to stand out from the shelf, it is less likely to make its way to a customer’s basket. Packaging research helps you make the right first impression, tempting your potential customers into buying your product. Through proper packaging research, you will be able to convey your intended message to customers, promote your product, and correctly position your efficacy claims. Packaging research can be conducted through central location testing by replicating a supermarket shelf and allowing participants to pick up tangible products. The testing can also be conducted virtually, with participants evaluating various on-screen packaging options. Packaging research methodologies can provide accurate, detailed results that will help you develop and improve your product before launching it onto the market.

Why Choose Wirral Sensory Services for Your Food Testing Needs?

Wirral Sensory Services (WSS) have been conducting tailored food and market research for over 20 years. Our research has helped brands across the UK optimise their products, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately, increase sales. At WSS, we understand how important it is for your product to stand out from among the crowded shelves in retail environments. Whether you are a startup or a global brand, our wide range of research methodologies can help your business research its goals. Get in touch with us today to find out more about how we can help you develop industry-leading products.