How Consumer Involvement Influences Beer Flavour Preferences

Abstract

[Abstract] Purpose: Much of the innovation in the beer sector has focused on flavour, resulting in a proliferation of flavoured beers. In this context, the understanding of consumers’ flavour preferences is a relevant question for the beer industry; however, little is known whether consumer involvement influences beer flavour preferences, and the present study is directed to shed light on this area yet under-investigated. Methodology: Research was conducted in Spain, where a total amount of 565 beer consumers were classified based on their level of involvement with beer. The data were analysed by ANOVA, Tukey test, principal component analysis (PCA), and multidimensional scaling (MDS), to examine consumers’ preferences for different beer flavours using a consumer hedonic approach based on like and dislike evaluation. Findings: Our findings support the existence of a homogeneous pattern in beer-flavour preferences, regardless of consumer involvement, showing a greater liking for conventional flavours. Further, highly involved consumers show a higher preference for unconventional or flamboyant beer flavours, than low or medium involved consumers. Value: Derived from our findings it can be stated that consumers do not accept all kinds of flavours, and that their level of product involvement affects their flavour preferences.