title: Consumer taste tests and milk preference in low-income, urban supermarkets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore shoppers' responses to the taste of different types of cow's milk in a blind taste test and to examine their willingness to purchase lower-fat milk as part of an in-store marketing intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited on-site in the supermarket to participate in a blind taste test of three varieties of cow's milk and asked to guess what type they sampled.
  
  
  METHODS
  The taste testing was conducted as part of the Healthy Retail Solution (HRS) intervention that took place in four large supermarkets in Philadelphia, PA, USA over the course of six months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults (n 444) at participating Philadelphia supermarkets.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of participants at all stores reported typically purchasing higher-fat milk. Forty per cent of participants reported buying whole milk, 38 % purchased milk with 2 % fat. Very few participants correctly identified all three milk samples during the taste test (6·9 %) and a majority of participants were unable to identify the type of milk they self-reported typically purchased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most consumers could not accurately distinguish between various types of milk. Taste testing is a promising strategy to introduce lower-fat milks to consumers who have not tried them before. Campaigns to purchase skimmed, 1 % or 2 % milk may result in significant energy reduction over time and can serve as a simple way to combat overweight and obesity.
authors.affiliation: 1The Food Trust,One Penn Center,1617 JFK Blvd,Suite 900,Philadelphia,PA 19140,USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: 2Perelman School of Medicine,University of Pennsylvania,Philadelphia,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: 3Center for Obesity Research and Education,Temple University,Philadelphia,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Alexis C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wojtanowski
authors.affiliation: 3Center for Obesity Research and Education,Temple University,Philadelphia,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.affiliation: 4Perelman School of Medicine and School of Nursing,University of Pennsylvania,Philadelphia,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Glanz
authors.affiliation: 5Center for Research in Education & Social Policy,University of Delaware,Newark,DE,USA.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karpyn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D015143:Philadelphia; D011203:Poverty; D013649:Taste; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats
keywords: In-store marketing