Young Consumers' Preferences for Nonalcoholic Beers: The Impact of Sensory Perception and Label Information

The growth of the nonalcoholic beer (NAB) market and diverse consumer preferences across nationalities prompted an evaluation of Polish young consumers' perceptions of NAB (lager, India pale ale (IPA), wheat) and the impact of brand and label on product acceptance. The check-all-that-apply (CATA) method and the correspondence analysis (CA) revealed that consumers perceived lager NABs over IPA and wheat beers, preferring refreshing, aromatic, and clear beers. Assessment of the impact of brand, attractiveness, and label clarity on NAB sensory perception in blind and informed conditions showed that some beers improved with brand information. The multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis showed that label attractiveness and clarity are good predictors of purchase intention. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed factors (overall liking, purchase intention, graphical attractiveness, label clarity) describing and differentiating beer styles. The results provide guidance to beer producers on the factors to be considered when developing an attractive NAB.