Less light, better bite: How ambient lighting influences taste perceptions

Atmospheric factors within a retail environment provide efficient and effective methods for influencing customer behavior. Drawing on the concept of sensory compensation, this research investigates how ambient lighting influences taste perceptions. Three studies demonstrate that dim lighting enhance...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of retailing and consumer services 2022-03, Vol.65, p.102732, Article 102732
Main Authors: Lefebvre, Sarah, Hasford, Jonathan, Boman, Laura
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ambient lighting
Atmospherics
Taste perception
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Summary:Atmospheric factors within a retail environment provide efficient and effective methods for influencing customer behavior. Drawing on the concept of sensory compensation, this research investigates how ambient lighting influences taste perceptions. Three studies demonstrate that dim lighting enhances taste perceptions. The results of Studies 1a and 1b provide support that low lighting positively influences consumers' perceived taste of single taste dimension foods (e.g., sweet). Study 2 shows the number of taste dimensions (e.g., sweet vs. sweet and salty) stimulated serves as a boundary condition, attenuating the significant effect of dim lighting on taste perceptions. •Three studies investigate the cross-modal relationship between visual and gustatory senses.•Dim ambient lighting enhances taste evaluations as a result of sensory compensation.•The relationship between ambient lighting and taste evaluation is moderated by the number of taste dimensions within a food.
ISSN:0969-6989
1873-1384
DOI:10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102732