Retail atmospherics is becoming an increasingly important strategic tool for stores and restaurants. Ambient music and background noise are especially important atmospheric elements given their ubiquity in retail settings. However, there is high variation in the volume of ambient music and background noise, with some stores/restaurants having very loud ambience and others having very quiet ambience. Given the variation in loudness levels at stores/restaurants, and the managerial ease of adjusting volume level, we investigate the consequences of ambient music (and background noise) volume on food choices and sales. A pilot study, two field experiments, and five lab studies show that low (vs. high or no) volume music/noise leads to increased sales of healthy foods due to induced relaxation. In contrast, high volume music/noise tends to enhance excitement levels, which in turn leads to unhealthy food choices.

Research Question

While different music volume levels are being used for different strategic reasons across stores/restaurants, in this research, we examine whether manipulating music (and noise) volume might also influence consumers’ food purchases in retail and restaurant settings. We address the following research question: Could low (vs. high) volume ambient music influence consumers’ choice and purchase behavior related to healthy versus unhealthy foods? In one of our experiments (study 3), we also examine the effects of ambient noise.

Method and Data

Study 1 was a field experiment conducted at a café conducted in collaboration with the café management. The study had two manipulated conditions corresponding to low (55dB) versus high volume (70 dB) ambient music. As predicted, a higher percentage of healthy items were sold when the ambient music loudness level was low (vs. high) (42.92% vs. 32.49%; χ2 = 4.79, p < .05). Then studies 2a and 2b replicated these findings in lab settings. Study 3 was a 2 (noise volume: low vs. high) ¥ 2 (prime: relaxation vs. control) between subjects experiment. The results showed that the effects of high versus low volume ambient music on food choice persisted in the control condition but got attenuated for the “relaxation primed” condition. Study 4 was conducted as a field experiment at a major supermarket, in collaboration with the store management. The experiment had two manipulated conditions (low vs. high volume ambient music). Consistent with our hypothesis, low (vs. high) volume ambient music led to higher degree of purchases of healthy items as a proportion of total food purchases (Proportion low-volume = 44.16% vs. Proportion high-volume = 42.92%; χ2 = 73.75, p < .001).

Summary of Findings

The results of two field experiments and three lab experiments demonstrated that high (vs. low) volume ambient music leads to greater degree of unhealthy food purchases.

Key Contributions

While there is extant research on factors that influence purchase of healthy versus unhealthy foods, this is the first research to demonstrate the effects of ambient music on food purchase behavior. In other words, the results of our experiments show that consumers tend to have higher preference for healthier options when ambient music or sounds is of low volume versus when it is at high volume or absent. Relaxation induced by music/sound volume levels seems to be the underlying process for these effects. Our findings have implications for shedding insights into the cross-modal influences of auditory cues on food choices. The findings also have strong implications for consumer health and wellbeing along with relevance for retail atmospheric strategies.

Ambient sound, which includes both ambient music and noise, is present in nearly all retail stores and restaurants. Yet, there is great variation in the volume of this ambient sound. Specifically, some restaurants have very high levels of sound and others have very low levels of sound. This research examines how the volume of ambient music and noise influences consumers’ food choices. A series of field and laboratory studies show that low (vs. high)-volume ambient music and noise lead to healthier food choices. Process evidence suggests that the effects of ambient sound on food choices are driven by greater relaxation induced with low-volume ambient sound. The findings of this research suggest that restaurant, cafeteria, and supermarket managers wanting to nudge healthier food choices might simply need to adjust the volume on ambient sound systems.

Brand personality has become an increasingly important concept within brand theory and factor-based methods constitute the standard measure in brand personality research. However, questions have been raised about the validity of current factor-based models. This research explores how brand personality characteristics that are salient in verbal and visual advertising content change over time as the brand is extended into multiple product categories. The empirical data are based on a case study of four sub-brands of the personal and skin care brand Nivea and include an advertising analysis, in-depth interviews with executives, and a document analysis. The results show that the meanings of words that represent brand personality characteristics in advertising content shift across different product categories. The study emphasises the problems related to the use of a generalised brand personality scale and develops an alternative methodological approach for brand personality research.

Ambient music is ubiquitous in almost all restaurant and retail settings. We examine how the ambient music influences food choices.The results of three experiments (one field study and two lab studies) show that low volume (vs. high volume or no) ambient musicnudges consumers towards more healthful food choices.

Brand personality has become an increasingly important concept within brand theory, and factor-based methods constitute the standard measure in brand personality research. However, questions have been raised about the validity of current factor-based models. This research explores how brand personality characteristics that are salient in verbal and visual advertising content change over time as the brand is extended into multiple product categories. The empirical data are based on a case study of four subbrands of the personal and skin care brand Nivea and include an advertising analysis, in-depth interviews with executives, and a document analysis. The results show that the meanings of words that represent brand personality characteristics in advertising content shift across different product categories. The study emphasises the problems related to the use of a generalised brand personality scale and develops an alternative methodological approach for brand personality research.