Managers of retail stores, hotels, and supermarkets often use ambient scents to increase sales and influence buyers

Question:

Managers of retail stores, hotels, and supermarkets often use ambient scents to increase sales and influence buyers’ choices. The Journal of Marketing Research (February 2019) published a study that investigated whether food-related ambient scents had an effect on consumers’ product choices. At a supermarket, the researchers compared two ambient scents–chocolate chip cookie (the indulgent scent) and strawberry (the non-indulgent scent). Each scent was run for one hour. At the end of the hour, all purchases at the store were classified as either healthy (e.g., fish and fruit), unhealthy (e.g., candy and ice cream), or neutral/nonfood. The number of products purchased in each category for both the indulgent and non-indulgent scents are summarized in the next table. Construct side-by-side bar charts to compare the percentages of food choices for the indulgent and non-indulgent scents. According to the researchers, “exposure to an indulgent (vs. non-indulgent) ambient scent leads to lower (higher) degree of unhealthy (healthy) food purchases.” Do you agree? Explain.