The effect of consumption context on consumer hedonics, emotional response and beer choice

Abstract The context of a consumer test affects participant response. Data collected in a sensory laboratory is likely to have little predictive value of consumer experience in real-life situations. This study determined the effects of context on consumer response to two commercial beers. Regular beer consumers (n = 100) rated liking and emotional response using ten beer-specific emotion categories for two beers (Lager and Ale) under three different conditions: (1) a sensory testing facility (Lab), (2) a natural consumption environment (Bar) and (3) using an evoked context (Evoked). Their choice of product to take home was also recorded. Overall results showed significant product differentiation for liking ( F (99, 2, 1) = 8.46, p  = 0.004) and product choice ( Q (1, N = 100) = 4.85, p  = 0.028) in the Bar but not in the Lab or Evoked context. Emotional variables highlighted significant product differentiation ( p