To sniff or not to sniff?

Dydiane Goodman and Ivor Shalofsky

This paper is intended primarily as a discussion-opener and as such takes a fresh look at the fragrance industry’s use of sniff testing as a means of evaluating fragrances among consumers, examines the place of this methodology within product testing in general, and, with reference to some examples, raises a number of basic questions and points for discussion.

To Sniff Or Not To Sniff?

Dydiane Goodman Quest International LtdIvor Shalofsky Haarmann & Reimer S.A

Introduction

Within the fragrance industry there is widespread use of a consumer product testing methodology known as 'sniff testing' to evaluate fragrances or fragranced products. As its name suggests, this methodology usually revolves around respondents 'sniffing' or smelling one or more fragrances or fragranced products, and giving their opinion of the product(s) based on this 'sniff'.

Typically this evaluation procedure is used, for example:

  • during the early phase of fragrance development, to weed...

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