To help leading food industry clients get to the bottom of this conundrum, Campden BRI has been using a technique called conjoint analysis.

The technique is designed to explore how consumers assess the relative significance of product attributes from brands to price, ethical claims, health claims, provenance and packaging types when deciding which ones to buy.

For example, is an ethical consideration more important than a brand? Is price more important than a health claim?

What are the main drivers of choice?

In a study carried out as part of a recent research project into the technique at Campden BRI, shoppers were asked to assess a series of packaged eggs in which combinations of different features/attributes were highlighted, enabling different trade-offs to be investigated.

Such research can help manufacturers identify the main drivers of choice in a category but also enable them to segment consumers into different types and then explore the degree to which each group is interested in each attribute/driver.

To find out more about the application of conjoint analysis, contact Peter Burgess, head of consumer and sensory science at Campden BRI at +44(0)1386 842122

*To access a short summary paper outlining the principles of conjoint analysis, email auto@campden.co.uk with the subject line: send conjoint