For the love of chocolate. Image: Shutterstock.
Do you have a favourite brand of chocolate? If you tried it with your eyes closed, would you recognise it?Everyone has their favourite brand of chocolate, but how does a chocolate’s reputation affect its taste? Researchers from Babson College in the US wanted to find this out when they presented undergraduate students with pieces of unbranded chocolate to taste.
Half of the students were told that the chocolate was from Switzerland (which has a reputation for producing good quality chocolate) and half were told the chocolate was from China (which doesn’t have a chocolate reputation). Those who were told before tasting liked the chocolate more if it was from Switzerland. Those who were told after the tasting preferred the one from China. The researchers found similar results when they told people the chocolate was expensive or inexpensive ““ they liked the inexpensive chocolate more if they were told after they ate it. Consumers change their preferences all the time and, as long as they believe it is a good product, they’ll buy.
Source: Babson College
