Consumer panels are used for several types of research:
- Focus groups - Qualitative analyses
These are small groups (8 person) of consumers, specially selected from a large consumer panel as a target group (for example fish eaters that are specially concerned in their health) that will have a qualitative discussion about a specified topic (ie a new seafood product under development or their opinion about sustainable fisheries)
- Concept testing - Quantitative analyses
A large group (300 person) of consumers (not selected as a specific target group) will evaluate a moderate number (max 40) of new developed product concepts rather similar. That means these products are not ‘real’ yet and are described to the consumers by text and pictures (internet based testing). The same few questions (max 5) are to be answered for all products. Preference for the relatively small differences can be measured. For example the difference in health perception of a cod fillet with added free fatty acids or selenium (both beneficial to the health of consumers)
- Products testing - Quantitative analyses
A large group (150) of consumers (can be selected as a specific target group) will evaluate real products. Either in an in-home situation (real life testing) or at a central location (controlled testing) a small number (max 4) of different products are tasted. The products vary in for example taste (small or big chunks within a new developed seafood product, farmed or wild cod), production method (animal friendly slaughtering versus standard slaughtering), or information provided (health ingredients included)
For consumer research we cooperate with Wageningen CICS and make use of the TasteNet panel from Wageningen UR.
Design of consumer studies (which method to use, what variables to be tested etc), development of questionnaires and practical performance of experiments with large number of consumer are IMARES expertise in this field.