Taste, crucial in the consumer's decision process

In the buying process, the formation of consumers' perceptions and preferences can be broken-up in three steps :

• First step : The product genesis
• Second step : The consumer's perception
• Third step : The consumer's preference and final choice

Consumer Decision Process

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First Step : Product's genesis

Based on consumer's needs, on sensory analysis and on market studies, the producers develops the product which in his mind will best meet clients expectations.

Second Step : Consumer's perception

Consumer's perception is filtered by his actual experiences, his needs, his own values and by the environment.

It can be conceptualized in three dimensions : a sensory dimension (taste), a functional dimension and finally a symbolic dimension.

Hedonic pleasantness plays a central part in food choices (for more than 80% of consumers), whereas most other factors only convey added value to the product. Pleasure derived from eating/drinking gives an immediate personal reward whereas most of other choice reasons such as nutrient content, positive health effects or price have to be conveyed by information.

The presence of a visible quality label characterizing taste reinforces the awareness of product's quality and adds a symbolic dimension.

Third Step : Consumer's preference and final choice

Based his preferences for product instrumental (contents) and expressive attributes (image) on one hand, and on his own sensory preferences (taste) on the other hand, the consumer makes his final choice.