Consumer perception and behaviour in the retail foodscape: a study of chilled groceries

In order to provide a functional foodscape in the grocery store, chilled products need to be stored in cabinets according to the regulations. Doors on display cabinets are energy-efficient but can also be perceived as a barrier by consumers.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to an understanding of how consumers behave and what they perceive when shopping chilled groceries from cabinets with doors and without doors in the supermarket.

Based on a qualitative research approach, combining in-store observations and focus group interviews, and focusing on three environmental variables in the servicescape: ambient conditions, space and functions, and signs, symbols and artifacts, the results indicate that consumers’ behavior and perceptions differ when there are doors or no doors on cabinets. The results further show how doors lead to different forms of approach or avoidance behavior in terms of accessibility and that consumers’ vision, olfaction and tactility all influence consumers’ perceptions of freshness and cleanliness in relation to doors or no doors. Our results also have practical implications for retailers who are designing new stores or considering changes in existing store layouts.