The Use of Virtual Reality in Studying Complex Interventions in Our Every-Day Food Environment

Waterlander, Wilma; Steenhuis, I.H.M.

doi:10.5772/46410

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 73 publications

(100 reference statements)

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“…The Virtual Supermarket was developed in Unity (a game development system) and represents a 3-dimensional (3D) computer simulation of a real shopping experience ( Figure 1 ). More details about the software can be found elsewhere [ 16 , 24 ]. The Dutch Virtual Supermarket is available online [ 25 ] (the NZ version is currently undergoing modification).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using a 3D Virtual Supermarket to Measure Food Purchase Behavior: A Validation Study

Waterlander¹,

Jiang²,

Steenhuis³

et al. 2015

J Med Internet Res

100

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BackgroundThere is increasing recognition that supermarkets are an important environment for health-promoting interventions such as fiscal food policies or front-of-pack nutrition labeling. However, due to the complexities of undertaking such research in the real world, well-designed randomized controlled trials on these kinds of interventions are lacking. The Virtual Supermarket is a 3-dimensional computerized research environment designed to enable experimental studies in a supermarket setting without the complexity or costs normally associated with undertaking such research.ObjectiveThe primary objective was to validate the Virtual Supermarket by comparing virtual and real-life food purchasing behavior. A secondary objective was to obtain participant feedback on perceived sense of “presence” (the subjective experience of being in one place or environment even if physically located in another) in the Virtual Supermarket.MethodsEligible main household shoppers (New Zealand adults aged ≥18 years) were asked to conduct 3 shopping occasions in the Virtual Supermarket over 3 consecutive weeks, complete the validated Presence Questionnaire Items Stems, and collect their real supermarket grocery till receipts for that same period. Proportional expenditure (NZ$) and the proportion of products purchased over 18 major food groups were compared between the virtual and real supermarkets. Data were analyzed using repeated measures mixed models.ResultsA total of 123 participants consented to take part in the study. In total, 69.9% (86/123) completed 1 shop in the Virtual Supermarket, 64.2% (79/123) completed 2 shops, 60.2% (74/123) completed 3 shops, and 48.8% (60/123) returned their real supermarket till receipts. The 4 food groups with the highest relative expenditures were the same for the virtual and real supermarkets: fresh fruit and vegetables (virtual estimate: 14.3%; real: 17.4%), bread and bakery (virtual: 10.0%; real: 8.2%), dairy (virtual: 19.1%; real: 12.6%), and meat and fish (virtual: 16.5%; real: 16.8%). Significant differences in proportional expenditures were observed for 6 food groups, with largest differences (virtual – real) for dairy (in expenditure 6.5%, P<.001; in items 2.2%, P=.04) and fresh fruit and vegetables (in expenditure: –3.1%, P=.04; in items: 5.9%, P=.002). There was no trend of overspending in the Virtual Supermarket and participants experienced a medium-to-high presence (88%, 73/83 scored medium; 8%, 7/83 scored high).ConclusionsShopping patterns in the Virtual Supermarket were comparable to those in real life. Overall, the Virtual Supermarket is a valid tool to measure food purchasing behavior. Nevertheless, it is important to improve the functionality of some food categories, in particular fruit and vegetables and dairy. The results of this validation will assist in making further improvements to the software and with optimization of the internal and external validity of this innovative methodology.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using a 3D Virtual Supermarket to Measure Food Purchase Behavior: A Validation Study

Waterlander¹,

Jiang²,

Steenhuis³

et al. 2015

J Med Internet Res

100

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This virtual supermarket was designed to mimic a real-life supermarket and included 512 unique products, modelling the product assortment of a regular supermarket. Further information about the software can be found elsewhere [11,12]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of different discount levels on healthy products coupled with a healthy choice label, special offer label or both: results from a web-based supermarket experiment

Waterlander

Steenhuis

Boer

et al. 2013

Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act

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BackgroundTwo strategies commonly recommended to improve population diets include food labels and food taxes/subsidies. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of both strategies separately and in combination.FindingsAn experiment with a 3x3 factorial design was conducted, including: three levels of price reduction (10%; 25%; and 50%) x three labels (‘special offer’, ‘healthy choice’ and ‘special offer & healthy choice’) on healthy foods defined following the Choices front-of-pack nutrition label. N = 109 participants completed the experiment by conducting a typical weekly shop for their household at a three-dimensional web-based supermarket. Data were analysed using analysis of covariance.Participants receiving a 50% price discount purchased significantly more healthy foods for their household in a typical weekly shop than the 10% discount (+8.7 items; 95%CI = 3.8-13.6) and the 25% discount group (+7.7 items; 95%CI = 2.74 – 12.6). However, the proportion of healthy foods was not significantly higher and the discounts lead to an increased amount of energy purchased. No significant effects of the labels were found.ConclusionThis study brings some relevant insights into the effects of price discounts on healthier foods coupled with different labels and shows that price effects over shadowed food labels. However, price discounts seem to have ambiguous effects; they do encourage the purchase of healthy products, but also lead to increased energy purchases. More research is needed to examine how pricing strategies can work in directing consumers towards interchanging unhealthier options for healthier alternatives.

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“…feelings of presence, type of brands selected, and responses to the location of products in the display) 18 . An additional advantage of using virtual reality is that changes in the store environment can be made without having to rely on complex implementation processes in real-life settings 22,23 . This provides flexibility for the researcher.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior

Ploydanai

Puttelaar

Herpen

et al. 2017

JoVE

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People's responses to products and/or choice environments are crucial to understanding in-store consumer behaviors. Currently, there are various approaches (e.g., surveys or laboratory settings) to study in-store behaviors, but the external validity of these is limited by their poor capability to resemble realistic choice environments. In addition, building a real store to meet experimental conditions while controlling for undesirable effects is costly and highly difficult. A virtual store developed by virtual reality techniques potentially transcends these limitations by offering the simulation of a 3D virtual store environment in a realistic, flexible, and cost-efficient way. In particular, a virtual store interactively allows consumers (participants) to experience and interact with objects in a tightly controlled yet realistic setting. This paper presents the key elements of using a desktop virtual store to study in-store consumer behavior. Descriptions of the protocol steps to: 1) build the experimental store, 2) prepare the data management program, 3) run the virtual store experiment, and 4) organize and export data from the data management program are presented. The virtual store enables participants to navigate through the store, choose a product from alternatives, and select or return products. Moreover, consumer-related shopping behaviors (e.g., shopping time, walking speed, and number and type of products examined and bought) can also be collected. The protocol is illustrated with an example of a store layout experiment showing that shelf length and shelf orientation influence shopping- and movement-related behaviors. This demonstrates that the use of a virtual store facilitates the study of consumer responses. The virtual store can be especially helpful when examining factors that are costly or difficult to change in real life (e.g., overall store layout), products that are not presently available in the market, and routinized behaviors in familiar environments.

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The Use of Virtual Reality in Studying Complex Interventions in Our Every-Day Food Environment

Cited by 4 publications

References 73 publications

Using a 3D Virtual Supermarket to Measure Food Purchase Behavior: A Validation Study

Using a 3D Virtual Supermarket to Measure Food Purchase Behavior: A Validation Study

Effects of different discount levels on healthy products coupled with a healthy choice label, special offer label or both: results from a web-based supermarket experiment

Using a Virtual Store As a Research Tool to Investigate Consumer In-store Behavior

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