Taste is one of the most powerful senses that has the power to evoke strong emotions and memories. It is a powerful motivator that can override other factors, such as price or convenience.

Retailers who offer customers the chance to sample food before purchasing gain an immediate advantage by making the decision-making process easier. This approach demonstrates confidence in the product, assuring consumers that they'll love what they’re about to try; in essence, the Buyer and Shop Assistant become a product ambassador that customers can build a relationship with.

This is the key advantage and point of difference between buying in store as opposed to online, as put to the test by Fizz Experience. They recently conducted an exit survey of shoppers at a retail establishment during a 4-day period of in-store sampling. They spoke to over 2,000 shoppers and found that:

60% of people took part in the food sampling
88% of people would not have purchased the product without sampling it first
58% of people would tell their friends and family about the new products they discovered through the sampling
87% said that in-store sampling improved their shopping experience
95% said it encouraged them to try new products

The Emotional effect of food

Food has a deep emotional connection to our lives. Certain smells, tastes, and textures surround sustenance and have the ability to transport us straight into our happy memories. Food can also be a source of comfort and is a popular gift for this reason. According to the National Library of Medicine, taste is unique in that it is the only sense that is activated AFTER an item is engulfed i.e eaten. All other sense are external.

“You see what’s in front of your face, hear what’s within earshot, feel what’s within reach, and smell bits of external objects carried to you in the airstream - but a stimulus activates the gustatory system only after it has been purposefully removed from view. Organisms make a deliberate decision to have a taste experience, choosing an external object in their environment for consumption and experiencing the taste percept only after sending that object down the path toward digestion.”

Moreover, “the brain's response to taste can be influenced by factors such as prior experiences, expectations, and emotional states. For instance, certain flavors can trigger potent memories and emotions, highlighting the deep connection between taste perception and the brain's emotional and memory centers.” (Nature)

Therefore, the effects that taste can have on our customer experience should not be underestimated. Appealing to this sense forces the customer to make a conscious decision to try something - giving that all important sense of power.

As a retailer, food sampling should be considered as a form of event marketing, as it creates an immediate and tangible connection with customers. The choice of food product should connect to with the target audience and reflect the brand vision. As Tim Forresst says: “When people get a taste of your products in a live setting, they’re not just consuming food – they’re creating memories associated with your brand.

Which foods encourage buying? The taste paradox

This depends on on the target market - and there have been several studies on this matter. Depending on retailer goals, these might be adjusted according to the following.

As proved by the University of Tennessee in a recent study, the "licensing effect" means that when people choose a healthier food option, they often feel like they've earned the right to indulge in something unhealthy afterward: “This effect happens when a person makes a more nutritious choice and then feels as if they have permission to make subsequent indulgent choices as a kind of reward.” The University of Tenessee, Annika Abell, 2024

To implement this strategy, retailers might position sweet items within a shopper’s visitor journey AFTER they have finished selecting fruit and vegetables. This approach is widely used in supermarkets, where tempting treats are strategically placed to encourage indulgent purchases after making healthier choices.

To accompany this theory, the findings of Charles Zuker, a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator at Columbia University, and geneticist Nicholas Ryba neatly sum up further evidence to inform retail strategy. The Zuker/Hughes team used advanced brain-imaging techniques to improve spatial resolution in taste research and found that different tastes activate distinct clusters of neurons in the gustatory cortex. Despite taste receptors being mixed on the tongue, the brain separates taste signals by significant distances.Their findings concluded that “bitterness can be wired to a brain area that drives aversion, whereas sweetness can be wired to attraction.” (Nature)

In conclusion

The sense of taste is a powerful force that influences our emotions, decisions, and relationships. By understanding the emotional impact of food, we can make more informed choices about what we eat and how we use food in our lives.

Retailers who leverage food sampling can create stronger customer connections, enhancing trust and engagement while encouraging purchases. Understanding the "licensing effect" and the brain's response to taste can further refine retail strategies, positioning products in a way that aligns with consumer decision-making patterns.

By integrating taste-based marketing with neuroscience insights, businesses can optimise the in-store experience, turning flavors into memorable brand interactions. Ultimately, appealing to taste not only drives sales but also enhances customer relationships through meaningful, sensory-driven experiences.

If you feel this is something your organisation could benefit from gaining some further advice on, do get in touch.

Taste as a motivator: 88% of people will not purchase a product without getting a Taste of it first

Music is Power: The Sound of carefully chosen music evokes specific emotional responses