Market research case study:
Testing consumer appeal of ethnic snack range

Consumer goods & FMCG client

Featured in this case study: Consumer goods & FMCG , Market research hall tests, Pricing

The challenge

The client, a UK grocery supplier, sought to introduce a new range of Indian snack foods to the UK market and required research to validate consumer acceptance, inform range selection, and establish optimal pricing.

The approach

DJS Research conducted central location tests (CLTs) with a mix of Asian and White British snack consumers.

Using a standardised 10-minute questionnaire, participants evaluated three of the eight snack products in a fully rotated design to eliminate order bias.

Products were assessed for visual appeal, taste, and texture.

The results

The research identified clear ‘winners’, ‘potentials’, and ‘weaker performers’, providing a robust evidence base for the recommended range.

DJS Research also conducted statistical price analysis to determine optimal price points for each selected Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) in a 200g sharing format.

These insights enabled the client to confidently present a data-driven proposal to retail buyers, helping build the commercial case for new listings in the snack category.

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Sector:
Consumer goods & FMCG

Bringing consumer voices to the heart of business decisions for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Consumer Packaged Goods brands (CPG). At DJS Research, we help brands within the CPG and FMCG space connect with the real lives, needs, and expectations of consumers through research that’s insightful, commercially astute, and creatively delivered. We work with brands at every stage – from bright idea to global launch – helping uncover what their target audiences really want, shaping standout propositions, testing marketing communications and supporting successful product development. We have tried and tested innovative methodologies which blend seamlessly with our clients’ frameworks to ensure consumer insight is at the core of business decision-making. Our expertise in the CPG/FMCG sector We work across a wide range of FMCG/CPG categories – from food and drink, pet care, and personal care, to household goods, homecare, DIY, gardening, and wellness products. Whether you're a brand, manufacturer, supplier, or trade body, we deliver research that helps you stay close to your consumers and ahead of the competition. Today’s consumers are more discerning, digitally engaged, and sustainability-minded than ever before, challenging brands to stay relevant but authentic. Here are just some of the challenges we’re helping our clients navigate right now Reframing value: Affordability remains key, but value is not just about price. Consumers are assessing cost against benefits like quality, ethical sourcing, pack size, and brand trust. Clear positioning and communication have never been more important. Meeting rising sustainability expectations: From refillable formats to regenerative sourcing, brands are expected to show measurable progress – not just pledges. Consumers are holding businesses to account, but the ‘say-do’ gap between what people say and what they do remains significant. That’s why we use behavioural-science frameworks and proven methodologies to uncover the real drivers behind sustainable choices. Delivering an optimal omnichannel purchase journey: Online and in-store experiences are blending. Shoppers want consistency across touchpoints, from ecommerce convenience to physical store inspiration. Optimising a frictionless path to purchase has never been more important for brands. At DJS Research, we work closely with FMCG and CPG brands to uncover the consumer truths behind these trends. Our research helps clients not only react to change but lead it, with confidence, clarity, and commercial impact. We've supported brands, industry bodies and NGOs to address complex challenges, seize market opportunities, and make evidence-based decisions that fuel growth. Operating globally to deliver multi-market insight Just like DJS Research, many of our clients operate on a global scale and our in-house international research team and network of partners worldwide ensure we can deliver across all fronts. We’ve conducted CPG/FMCG projects in over 60 different countries including… A multi-market exploration of attitudes towards meat consumption, engaging Gen Z audiences in 10 different countries including the UK and New Zealand. Evaluating grass trimmer concepts with consumers in the UK, France, and Germany to assess appeal and relevance. Testing purchase intent for educational toys among parents of pre-schoolers in the UK and Germany. Our partnerships with local agencies mean we bring consistency, local nuance, and global relevance to your research. Why your CPG/PMCG projects are in safe hands with DJS Research With sector-focused, director-led teams and a depth of passion and commitment that is truly unique to employee-owned businesses, all our projects at DJS Research are delivered to the highest standard. Some of the many stand-out reasons our clients in this space have chosen to work with us include: We don’t just deliver data: From immersive qualitative to behavioural insight and concept testing, we bring the consumer voice to the heart of your decision-making, driving innovation and impact. Every project is tailored to suit your goals: From agile UK testing to multi-market strategic studies, select the right methodology for the objectives and scale of every single project. Our in-house operations team and global partners mean seamless, scalable delivery. Our CPG/FMCG research specialists combine deep category knowledge with commercial acumen: We translate consumer insight into clear, actionable recommendations that help brands launch, evolve, and grow with confidence. To find out more about our experience in the CPG/FMCG sector and how we could help you to navigate the challenges facing your organisation, contact our team today.

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Market research hall tests

What better way is there to find out how consumers react to your product than enabling them to give it a try for themselves? Hall tests are designed specifically for this purpose. Tailored to suit specific project objectives, hall tests involve hiring a venue in an accessible location and inviting a group of people to test products, services or even advertising concepts. They're an incredibly useful methodology adopted by DJS Research when we are looking to test reactions to stimuli in a controlled and neutral environment. One of the key benefits of hall tests is the opportunity to present respondents with a wide range of different stimuli, from consumable and household goods, such as food and drink or cleaning products, to more durable consumer items like furniture or shoes. They can also be used to help shape the direction of advertising campaigns and brand messaging, by presenting concepts, storyboards or slogans within controlled groups to help validate or discount potential ideas. Participants respond live to the items or concepts they are presented with and sessions ensure sufficient time for both engagement and feedback; testers are actively encouraged to explain their thoughts in detail, both positive and negative, to the researcher leading the session. As they are conducted in-person and in real-life, they enable researchers to hone in on key product pain points or concept concerns raised by the group to probe deeper. For example, if a session was testing a television advertisement, participants would be able to pause the video at the exact point at which they didn't understand or perhaps even disliked the advert. For example, if they felt the tone was inappropriate, or it was overly sales oriented for instance, they could cite exactly where this came across – supported by the research lead. Potential hall test participants are recruited in advance, sometimes even on the street outside the venue itself just prior to a session taking place. This method can be very cost-effective and can generate high numbers of responses per day depending upon location, target audience and the length and complexity of the subject. DJS Research has vast experience completing hall test market research for a wide-range of clients. We have used this methodology to test respondents' reaction to many different things, from new flavours of crisps to the taste and texture of cakes that contained specific enzymes in order to retain moistness. The second of these examples was conducted under very strict hygiene conditions, and the hall test location was streamed live to the client via webcam. One example of a large-scale, and highly successful hall test campaign we ran for a client in the chemicals sector is outlined below. Hall tests market research: case study Our client is a manufacturer of a number of effects which can be added to yarn and other fibres to make fabrics wrinkle-free. In order to understand customer attitudes to this, DJS Research carried out hall tests in India, the UK and the USA. The research covered a large number of respondents (800 in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore alone) and respondents were shown swatches of both treated and untreated fabrics. We were responsible for the recruitment of participants in all three countries, and conducting the hall tests themselves. Following the research, we were able to make actionable recommendations to our client about the course of action to be pursued in each country. At the same time as running a traditional hall test, we are also able to undertake 'quali-hall tests' whereby our senior researchers conduct more qualitative interviews (i.e. in-depth interviews lasting around 30 minutes in length).

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Solution:
Pricing

Understanding the true value of your product or service Getting pricing right is one of the most critical challenges for any organisation that sells goods or services. Too high, and you risk alienating customers or losing market share. Too low, and you may undervalue your offering, leaving revenue on the table and potentially harming perceptions of quality. Pricing isn’t just about generating profit – it is a strategic lever that can influence brand positioning, customer loyalty, and long-term growth. Take Netflix as a well-known example. In 2022, the company introduced a new lower-cost subscription tier with adverts to counter falling profits and stagnating subscriber growth. This pricing shift attracted price-sensitive users and unlocked new ad revenue. Within two years, it helped reverse the decline, pushing quarterly revenue to a record high. At DJS Research, we go beyond simply identifying optimal price points. We help organisations understand the broader pricing landscape – from how pricing influences customer perception and competitive positioning, to how it supports product differentiation and market entry. Our research explores pricing architecture, elasticity, bundling strategies, and behavioural responses, giving you a holistic view of how pricing can fuel long-term growth. Through rigorous methodologies, data modelling and evidence-led insights, we empower organisations to make confident pricing decisions. Why is pricing research important? Without robust evidence, many businesses rely on instinct or competitor benchmarks – guesswork that can lead to missed opportunities or costly missteps. That’s why pricing research is a critical investment – it turns uncertainty into informed strategy. Effective pricing research helps you: Understand how different customer segments perceive value. Test price sensitivity and willingness to pay. Explore trade-offs customers make between features, service levels and price. Identify opportunities for premium positioning or value-based strategies. Track competitor pricing in context with customer expectations. In practice, this means that pricing research can inform everything from product launches and promotional strategies to tiered service offerings and discounting approaches. Whether you are entering a new market, repositioning an existing brand, fuelling a growth strategy or optimising margins, evidence-led pricing insights ensure your strategy is commercially viable and customer-centred. How do we do it? We use a range of methodologies in our pricing research, carefully selected to align with your specific objectives. We often combine robust quantitative approaches with qualitative depth, ensuring we not only measure willingness to pay but also understand the why behind customer response to price and the impact of pricing strategies. Our approach often includes: Conjoint analysis and trade-off techniques: To simulate real-world decision-making. Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter: To identify acceptable price ranges. Gabor-Granger analysis: To test reactions to specific price points. Qualitative research: Such as focus groups and in-depth interviews to explore perceptions of value and pricing context. Price elasticity modelling: Where we use historical sales data alongside newly gathered customer response insights to model how demand changes with price. By integrating these methods, we deliver nuanced insights that highlight the interplay between price, product features, and brand perceptions. Our team of experienced researchers ensures that findings are robust, commercially relevant, and actionable – empowering you to set prices that support growth while keeping customers at the heart of decision-making. What makes our approach different? At DJS Research, we believe pricing research should never be off-the-shelf. Every market, product, and customer base is unique – which is why we design bespoke pricing studies tailored to your business needs. Our expertise lies in not just measuring numbers, but in interpreting what those numbers mean for your strategy. We provide clear, evidence-based recommendations rather than just data, helping you weigh trade-offs and understand the real-world implications of pricing decisions. Unlike many agencies, our directors remain hands-on throughout the project, bringing decades of experience across sectors to ensure research is both credible and commercially relevant. And because we are employee-owned, our people are fully invested in the success of every project – going the extra mile to deliver insights that make a tangible difference. As one of the UK’s leading full-service market research agencies, we combine advanced analytical techniques with a people-focused approach, ensuring that your pricing strategy is grounded in robust evidence and aligned with your brand’s unique strengths. Ready to optimise your pricing? To find out more about how our pricing research could help your organisation uncover the true value of your products and services, contact our team today.

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Case study:
Testing consumer appeal of ethnic snack range

Consumer goods & FMCG client

Featured in this case study: Consumer goods & FMCG , Market research hall tests, Pricing

The challenge

The approach

The results

The research identified clear ‘winners’, ‘potentials’, and ‘weaker performers’, providing a robust evidence base for the recommended range.

DJS Research also conducted statistical price analysis to determine optimal price points for each selected Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) in a 200g sharing format.

These insights enabled the client to confidently present a data-driven proposal to retail buyers, helping build the commercial case for new listings in the snack category.

Client testimonial: Consumer goods & FMCG client

Consumer goods & FMCG , Market research hall tests, Pricing

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Market research case study: Testing consumer appeal of ethnic snack range

Consumer goods & FMCG client

The challenge

The approach

The results

Other areas you might find interesting...

Sector: Consumer goods & FMCG

Service: Market research hall tests

Solution: Pricing

Case study: Testing consumer appeal of ethnic snack range

Consumer goods & FMCG client

The challenge

The approach

The results

Client testimonial: Consumer goods & FMCG client

Consumer goods & FMCG , Market research hall tests, Pricing

Other areas you might find interesting...

Sector: Consumer goods & FMCG

Service: Market research hall tests

Solution: Pricing

Market research case study:
Testing consumer appeal of ethnic snack range

Sector:
Consumer goods & FMCG

Service:
Market research hall tests

Solution:
Pricing

Case study:
Testing consumer appeal of ethnic snack range

Sector:
Consumer goods & FMCG

Service:
Market research hall tests

Solution:
Pricing