New Techniques in Consumer Preference Research

D URING the last few years all of us have witnessed an increased interest in expanding the demand for food and fiber. We have seen a rash of studies concerned with many aspects of merchandising, displaying, and packaging of products. There have been surveys of various types to obtain opinions of consumers and users of products and services. Some attempts to study consumer motivation have been made. Much of this work was stimulated by the surplus situation in some products and by the emphasis for research of this type in the RMA Act of 1946.