Effect of glass shape on subjective and behavioral consumer responses in a real-life context of drinking consumption

Although previous research carried out in laboratory contexts demonstrated the effect of glass shape on consumer judgment and behavior, few specific studies have examined these effects in a naturalistic setting. The main aim of this study was to investigate in a real-life situation the effect of glass shape on subjective responses and on drinking behavior of an alcoholic beverage. A secondary objective was to investigate more specifically a possible effect of glass shape on dynamic consumption patterns. The study was conducted in a restaurant where an alcoholic beverage was offered to consumers (n = 123) prior to the meal. The same quantity of the beverage (15 cL) was served in one of two possible typologies of glass of the same volume: a tall and slender glass and a short and wide glass. Data was collected through subjective questionnaires to evaluate satisfaction with the consumed quantity and the liking after consumption, and through video recording to measure the duration of consumption and the number of sips, in total and as a function of time. Consumers expressed higher levels of satisfaction regarding the volume in the case of the drinks served in the tall glass. The study of drinking dynamics identified a ‘decelerated’ and an ‘accelerated’ pattern of consumption. The results show that glass shape influences the dynamics of drink intake of an alcoholic beverage, with a more decelerated pattern in the case of the short glass. These results confirm, in a real-life context, that the glass shape influences both consumers’ behavioral and subjective responses, reiterating the importance of the container in the experience of consumption of an alcoholic beverage.