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https://theconversation.com/dollars-and-scents-how-the-right-smells-can-encourage-shoppers-to-buy-healthier-foods-232973>
"Imagine walking down the aisle of your local grocery store. The scent of mixed
herbs catches your attention, mentally transporting you to a kitchen filled
with the aroma of your favourite home-cooked meal.
Suddenly, you’re craving hearty minestrone soup or yearning for homemade beef
lasagne. In an instant, your plans for dinner – and your shopping list –
change.
This sensory experience is not a new phenomenon. Using scent to sell in retail
stores is a well-established strategy. But our new research has found
introducing a herbal scent (such as thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil) in
supermarkets can encourage shoppers to select and purchase more wholesome
foods.
Beyond general smells that come from the products, supermarkets often use
artificial scent strategies, such as diffusing grapefruit in the produce
section, chocolate in the confectionery aisle, rosemary focaccia by the bakery,
and baked cheesecake in the aisles to boost sales.
Previous research has found diffusing a chocolate scent in a bookstore
increased interest in romance books and cookbooks. And natural scents in a
store boosted spending on products with fewer artificial or synthetic
characteristics.
Scents such as rose maroc (considered “masculine”) and vanilla (deemed
“feminine”) have been shown to influence shopping behaviours toward
gender-specific clothing.
Understanding the influence of certain smells isn’t just about boosting sales.
Supermarkets play a pivotal role in shaping food choices. Using scent
strategies to nudge consumers toward more wholesome food options is an
under-explored opportunity to improve public health outcomes.
So, can the right smell increase choice and sales of nutritious wholesome
foods?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
