Sensory difference tests are widely used in product development, but a significant result does not always mean a difference consumers will notice.

This session covers the full path from test result to business decision: choosing the method, sizing the panel, estimating the perceived difference, and weighing what each wrong call costs.

Because the software uses four contexts: Copy Exact, Supplier Change, Increase or Decrease of an Ingredient, and Exploratory R&D, the business objective in each context is clearly defined. For example, in a supplier change scenario, the objective is to ensure that changing to a cheaper supplier does not alter product perception. Similarly, when reducing the sugar content by a small amount, the ideal outcome is that consumers continue to perceive the product in the same way.

Using a decision-support free software, participants will see how a single result becomes a clear go/no-go verdict, and how brand risk can be viewed across a portfolio.