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This study examined sensory aspects of cereal bar snacks for their relative importance to consumer perception and degree of like (DOL). Principal components analysis of conventional profiling data showed a distinct location of each bar type in multivariate space, separation being based on textural aspects for the hard crunchy bar and flavor dimensions (cereal, nutty versus chocolate. sweet, fruit) for others. A consumer panel (n=56) examined a subset of the bars according to a balanced incomplete block design. Analysis of variance showed that the chewy, nutty and chocolate bars were liked most (p<0.01) and this was linked to ideal levels of filling flavor and quantity, chewy and crunchy textures and sweetness. The majority of consumers ranked ‘taste’ as the most important characteristic influencing their purchase intent, followed by textural features, ‘price’ and ‘appearance’ . The ‘healthy image’ aspect was relatively less important. Analysis of the relationship between the sensory measures and DOL, using partial least squares regression, confirmed the above segregation of preference, with sensory aromas and flavors having most influence on consumer liking.

Perception of country of origin and purchasing habits for beef were examined for urban and rural Scottish consumers. Origin was identified as being as important as intrinsic quality cues of colour and leanness, with rural consumers giving more weight to origin than urban ones. Most consumers interpreted ‘Scotch Beef’ and ‘British Meat’ label logos as evidence that the beef animals were ‘born, raised and slaughtered in Scotland or Britain’ respectively. The logos were taken as indicators of quality and safety. Both urban and rural respondents had higher agreement levels with Scotch beef as a safer, higher quality and more expensive commodity than British meat. Rural consumers made more use of butcher shops for purchase, but both groups sought butcher beef for quality reasons and supermarket sources because of convenience.

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An important consumer opinion of some food products relates to the perception of`h ome-made quality''. This study examined consumer perception of this aspect in dairy ice cream along with product knowledge and consumption habits and influences. A questionnaire was delivered followed by tasting of commercial products and home-made formulations. All of the participants (n = 105) consumed dairy ice cream and 62 per cent named it as their most frequent type of ice cream, with sensory quality being the most important reason influencing choice. Product knowledge was relatively high with 74 per cent of respondents claiming to know two out of three product characteristics. Consumer opinion was divided on a pre-stated preference for`h ome-made'' or``commercial'', with 56 per cent being in favour of the home-made form, which was valued because of an assumed superior taste, quality and a more intimate knowledge of ingredients. Commercial quality also required``good taste'', but its convenience value was very important. On blind tasting, the degree of liking for both forms was usually high, but correct identification (home-made vs commercial) levels were low. Subjects with previous experience of home-made ice cream had a more positive attitude to it, and had more success in distinguishing it from the commercial form. Generally, home-made quality was viewed as a desirable feature of dairy ice cream.

The effect of liking, brand and price label on purchase intention were studied on crisp snacks in branded, supermarket own label and economy form. Unlabeled assessment segregated the products into differing levels of liking which did not correspond to marketed price and brand location. Level of liking dominated purchase intention under partial label (price or brand alone) and full label (price with brand) conditions. Relative and derived purchase intention measures gave clearer label effects with significance for brand and price. Consumers who professed higher price awareness were more influenced by price, but those professing brand as a main purchase intention reason gave more weight to liking. Results from analysis of purchase intention and degree of liking measures according to private body conscious level were inconclusive.

Eighty‐four primary school children (the majority aged 7–8 years), from four schools, two in England and two in Scotland, were surveyed to identify snacking behaviour and the influences on perception and choice of snack foods. A questionnaire plus short interview with activity tasks was adopted, covering general snacking habits and a look at six specific groups of snacks comprising three of ‘unhealthy’ image and three with intermediate or fully ‘healthy’ image. The results showed that, for this age group, there was an overall preference for sweets, crisps and chocolate and less liking for fruit and cereal‐containing snacks. Attitudes to sensory properties showed that ‘taste’ was the main reason for snack choices, usually in spite of a ‘healthy’ image belief for the snacks. Choice was also dependent on parental influence and availability. Gender and relative socio‐economic level differences were minimal, but regional variations showed higher snacking frequency for the Scottish group, which also had fewer children preferring fruit. Meal patterns had little effect on snacking, but inclusion of a prepared meal at lunchtime may have reduced snacking frequency.

Forty year old children participated in this study to measure their perceptions of common vegetables. North Glasgow was selected as the locale because it contains the areas with Scotland's lowest and highest fruit and vegetable intakes. The impact of socioeconomic status upon the children's perceptions and preferences was examined, as were age, gender and frequency of vegetable consumption. The repenory grid method was used to elicit the perceptual data. Personal attributes were scored on a 10-cm linear scale, alongside a scale to measure the children's liking for the vegetables. Generalized Procrustes analysis and Preference Mapping were used to analyze the data. Sensory characteristics (especially texture and appearance) and the context of consumption were found to influence perceptions and preferences of vegetables. Socioeconomic background influenced perceptions, while selfreported consumption was significantly affected by social background, age and gender.