Shelf tests with rich data insight to drive category growth

Mondelēz capture behavioural data in mobile consumer research studies using our proprietary spatial computing technology. Rich System 1 insights on shopper attention and engagement with shelf displays have enabled Mondelēz to gain a competitive advantage and drive category growth.

Mondelēz International (multinational snacks and beverage company) wanted to understand the extent to which shelf ready packaging and merchandising has on shopper’s behaviours at fixture. As always with such studies, the key challenge was to replicate a realistic shopping experience and test multiple fixtures with a quantitative sample in order to make a confident business decision.

Traditionally, 2D pictures of planograms or CGI simulations on computer screens have been used however it has always been acknowledged that these aren’t a realistic representation of a supermarket shopping experience. In this case, there was concern that this lack of context at the point of purchase wouldn’t deliver real world insight. Conducting a large-scale face-to-face study in store was also considered to be logistically challenging and cost prohibitive when gathering quantitative data on shopper preferences.

Fixture test 

To establish optimal planogram presentation in supermarkets.

Realistic shopping experience 

In real world context to capture quantitative data insight.

Our market research mobile platform solved this problem by scaling qualitative stimuli with mobile VR shelf tests. Virtual Reality stimulus was integrated into a mobile survey which respondents completed at home using their mobile phones and low-cost VR viewers. Behavioural data on attention was captured within the VR experiences and combined with explicit survey data to deliver new insight. 360º experiences of the target shelf were captured in a real supermarket aisle when the store was closed.

Three different fixture planogram presentations were created with changes made to labels and product prices. 300 people were recruited from The Snack Chat community (Mondelēz’s long-term UK shopper community) to take part in the online survey. During the survey, respondents were prompted to insert their mobile in the VR viewer and, after a 30 second VR experience, they were automatically returned to the survey to select the products they recognised from the VR shelf.

VR store 

With changes to create three different fixture presentations.

VR stimulus 

Integrated into mobile survey of 300 respondents. 

Behavioural data 

Combined with quantitative questionnaire data for a complete view.

VR stores make people feel present in a realistic shopping experience and real-time spatial computing technology measures their behaviour. Analysis of respondent behaviour includes attentional priority, dwell time and how easy the shelf is to navigate. By defining the target areas in the VR store we measured how different planograms perform against each other to produce insight data which is similar to eye-tracking in store (but at quantitative scale). Across the different planograms tested, there was a significant role demonstrated by brand colour in capturing shopper’s attention as well as the ability to aid ease of shopping and therefore subsequent purchases. 

 The insights from this innovative shelf test have enabled Mondelēz International to prioritise investment into shelf ready packaging and confirm merchandising principles into supermarkets. Shopper Insight departments offer VR stores as a unique service (compared to less effective ‘virtual’ stores on computer screens) and deliver real world stimulus to respondents in their homes as a new methodology to counter COVID-19 restrictions on consumer research. Mondelēz have also expanded Gorilla in the room technology to include AR pack tests across multiple brands in North and South America, Europe and Asia.