ABSTRACT
Just-about-right (JAR) scales are used in consumer research to identify whether an attribute is present in a product at a level that is too high or too low or whether it is “just about right.” For example, in order to determine consumers’ preferred level of sweetness in a soft drink, consumers might be asked to taste a prototype formulation and to rate its sweetness on a scale ranging from “much too high” to “much too low” (Figure 5.1). In addition to sweetness, other attributes of interest might include strength of avor and carbonation, and JAR scales could be included in the questionnaire to assess these attributes. Consumers’ answers will provide an indication of whether there is opportunity to improve the prototype and suggest the direction for any potential formulation change.
