MICHELLE NIEDZIELA
HCD Research, Flemington, USA

Consumers know what they like, and they don’t have any problem telling us. Ask your friends, family members or any random person on the street about a product they typically use and they can tell you without any hesitation what they think about it. People don’t usually have to think very hard about this question - they just know it, their reaction is instinctive.
Products are complicated combinations of sensory characteristics. Even a product considered simple by consumers, such as potato chips, shampoo or facial tissues, has a wide range of product attributes that come together to deliver the smells, flavors, and textures consumers expect and enjoy. It is the intricate balance of these product characteristics that consumers detect and perceive and can lead to immediate acceptance or rejection of a product.

Our sense of smell is incredibly important, not only for our survival (sensing dangerous predators, leaking gas, or rotting food) but also our psychology and influencing our behavior. Research has shown that scent can help us recognize our relatives, choose our mates and even communicate to some degree. Olfaction (ability to smell) has significant l ...