Mood lifting research

A new piece of research has been published in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing in the USA concluding that shopping does actually lift your mood.

Perhaps we all know this from personal experience and perhaps confectionery retailers know that in tough times, shoppers turn to affordable treats. However, official confirmation of the fact leaves us wanting to advise you to make the most of it!

Researchers conducted hundreds of interviews at shopping centres as well as asking shoppers to keep diaries of their shopping behaviour, moods and buys they regretted.

Those who said they were in a bad mood on their way into a shop were more likely to indulge in an impulse buy. A total of 62 percent said they had bought something to cheer themselves up while 28 percent said they had indulged as a form of celebration.

Selin Atalay and Margaret Meloy are the authors of the study, Retail therapy: A strategic effort to improve mood. They say retailers can learn from the findings and ensure that they appeal to customers with the right emotional messages and slogans.

Another useful fact from Sweet Retailing - plenty more on the website!

Healthy Chocolate

Whilst we have probably all read about the health benefits of dark chocolate, it seems that the evidence does keep building.

Leatherhead Food Research has launched a new report called Future Directions for Functional Foods. Within the report, dark chocolate is discussed widely and is now apparently bought by 40% of UK households. 

The report goes on to suggest many claims for dark chocolate, some of which are well documented and others not so just yet:

            Anti ageing benefits

            Heart health claims

Mood enhancing properties due to constituents such as Anandamines, Caffeine and Magnesium

It can stimulate the secretion of endorphins and boost serotonin. 

The report states that there is more work to be done to substantiate these claims but the picture is certainly building and the functional confectionery market is yet to go mainstream, if it ever does. 

Interesting reading though and good for retailers to remain armed with such facts for their customers! 

For many more confectionery facts, remember to keep your eye on Sweet Retailing.