Longo’s Food Retail Laboratory

University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
What the facility does

The facility simulates a grocery store and can be used by researchers to understand food consumer behaviour and food shopping patterns

Areas of expertise

Resembling an actual grocery store with fully stocked shelves and checkout counter, the Longo’s Food Retail Lab utilizes eye-tracking equipment and cameras to gauge buyer behaviour patterns as consumers shop. Researchers can explore a number of areas including how consumers value and learn about different foods, and their decision making when purchasing and consuming foods.

The Longo’s Food Retail Lab focuses on a number of research areas and expertise. Examples of the research that has been completed recently include:

  • Price processing: Which prices consumers evaluate when making a product decision, specifically if they consider brands, package sizes, “regular” prices and per unit prices.
  • Effect of labelling on product choice: If consumers show preference towards certain product labels, such as GMO free products and the possible effects of certain GMO label characteristics.
  • Customer processing of packaging information: What information consumers use, how much they read and if it differs by product.
  • Impact of nutrition labelling: Do consumers look at nutritional labelling on restaurant menus or products on shelves, and if so, does it influence consumer choice.
Research services

Access to the laboratory for researchers to undertake research is the sole service offered by the laboratory.

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Consumer non-durables
  • Fisheries and aquaculture
  • Healthcare and social services
  • Management and business related services
EquipmentFunction
Tobii eye tracking equipmentAllows for pupil tracking of research participants
AV recording equipmentAudio and visual recording equipment that allows for recording of participants in the laboratory