Towards more sustainable product design through consumer experience

It is known from various studies that the choice of the drinkware could deeply affect consumer perception during beverage consumption. In our previous study we have demonstrated that there are a lot of differences in the ratings of taste, palatability bitterness and saturation were noted depending on the type of vessel in which beer was served. This study continues our previous research and expands it even further. In this study we test four different types of beer – each one with a different essence content. This is to determine whether glassware type affects customer experience from drinking each type of beer. Four types of beer purchased from different producers were used for the research. Beer samples for evaluation were served in beer mugs with a classic design and solid construction, tall glasses (wheatbeerglasses) with a characteristic elongated shape, and beer goblets (also called tulip glass), distinguished by a short stem and a very large bowl that tapers towards the top. The experimental results showed how the characteristics of a glass could affect beverage bouquet and flavour, and suggest that their rational optimization, based on experimental data, could enhance the consumer enjoyment of it. Taking into account the above studies, certain conclusions can be drawn regarding the research we conducted. Light beer with an essence content 12% served in a tulip glass has been assessed worse in every single tested trait. Odour, taste, saturation, palatability, bitterness and general quality index (GQI) have been perceived worst when the beer was served in tulip glass. It seems that tulip glass is particularly unsuitable for this type of beer. Moreover, sustainability considerations are becoming increasingly relevant in this context. Understanding the interactions between the drink and its container may foster more deliberate and responsible purchasing behavior. The above-mentioned factors also affect the consumer experience that can be created by combining a drink with the right glass.