Immersive virtual contexts, engagement, and emotions: How do these factors influence sensory acceptance?

Although virtual reality (VR) holds great potential in sensory research, further investigations are needed to assess the impact of immersion on consumer evaluations. Previous studies have limitations, such as a small number of evaluators, inconsistent graphical quality of virtual environments, lack of comparisons with traditional laboratory settings, and insufficient data on consumer engagement during virtual assessments. To address these gaps, this study evaluated consumer engagement using a presence scale, along with acceptance and emotions evoked during the consumption of an industrial beer (American Lager). One hundred consumers assessed the beverage's acceptance and emotional response in four scenarios: three immersive virtual contexts (abstract, village, and sea) and a traditional sensory booth, used as a control for acceptance ratings. The results showed that consumption context significantly influenced the beer's acceptance. Although the beer was well accepted in all contexts, the sensory booth scored the lowest. More immersive and realistic virtual contexts evoked more positive emotions and were linked to higher beer acceptance. Additionally, machine learning models revealed that emotional responses were crucial to acceptance and influenced by the consumption context. The immersive virtual environments enabled controlled and efficient study of contextual influence. This study provides new insights into the use of VR in sensory and consumer science, highlighting its potential for industries to evaluate product acceptance in different contexts, aiding in product development and marketing strategies.