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- Central Location Tests
Central Location Tests
Taste, sensory and product tests at a central venue, with recruitment, venue set-up, product handling and CAPI interviewing.
- Feasibility and costs in 24 hours
- One project manager from brief to data
- ICC/ESOMAR and GDPR compliant
- Best for
- Taste, sensory, packaging and concept tests that need controlled conditions
- Audiences
- Consumers recruited to your quotas, from shoppers to category users
- Methods
- Central location tests with CAPI interviewing, plus group discussions
- You receive
- Clean data, product handling records and a field report
Overview
When products need to be tasted, smelled or handled under the same conditions, a central location test is the right method. Research and Metric recruits consumers, sets up the venue and runs the test from start to finish.
We prepare and serve products to your protocol, rotate the order to avoid bias, and interview each participant on a tablet, so your data is ready the day the test ends.
Tests we run
Need something that is not listed here? Tell us in your brief and we will check feasibility.
- Taste testsFood and drink tested blind and in rotated order.
- Sensory testsFragrance, texture and feel under the same conditions.
- Packaging testsPack design, shelf standout and ease of use.
- Concept and advertising testsReactions to new ideas, claims and ads.
- Venue and home combinedA CLT followed by an in-home use test for longer use.
How we keep tests controlled
- Product storage, preparation and serving to your protocol
- Rotated serving order and blind coding
- Trained hosts and CAPI interviewers
- Hygiene, allergy and age checks
- Daily quotas and data checks
Step by step
How a central location test works
- PlanWe agree venue, product handling, quotas and timings with you.
- RecruitmentWe recruit consumers to your quotas and screen them.
- Set-upWe prepare the venue, products and the CAPI questionnaire.
- FieldworkHosts serve products and interviewers record each answer.
- DeliveryYou receive clean data and a field report.
Why agencies choose Research and Metric
- One accountable team from brief to final data
- Honest feasibility before you commit
- Daily progress and quality reporting
- ICC/ESOMAR-aligned processes and GDPR-compliant data handling
See this work in practice
Get a quote
Send us your brief
Tell us who you need to reach, where and how many. We reply with a plan.
- Feasibility and costs in 24 hours
- One project manager from brief to data
- ICC/ESOMAR and GDPR compliant
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Cannot find your answer? Ask our team or email contact@researchandmetric.com.
What is a central location test?
A test where recruited consumers come to one venue to taste, smell or handle products under the same, controlled conditions, and answer questions about them.
What is the difference between a CLT and an in-home use test?
A CLT tests first impressions under controlled conditions at a venue. An in-home use test looks at how people use a product in their own homes over time.
Do you handle the products?
Yes. We store, prepare and serve products to your protocol and keep records of every serving.
Can you combine a CLT with group discussions?
Yes. We often follow a CLT with focus groups to explore the reasons behind the scores.
Related services
Other ways we collect data
Combine methods in one study, with one project manager and one timeline.
Not sure which you need? Tell us about your study and we will suggest the right mix.
Fieldwork managementOne project manager running your recruitment, interviewing, quotas and quality control, across online, telephone, face-to-face and in-home methods.Learn more
Product placement and home testsIn-home use tests run end to end: category-user recruitment, blind-coded product delivery, diaries, recall surveys and compliance checks.Learn more
Mobile ethnography and diariesVideo and photo diaries recorded on participants' phones, so you see real behaviour in the moment, at home, in store and on the move.Learn more
Online qualitative researchOnline in-depth interviews, focus groups and bulletin boards, recruited, hosted and supported end to end, in any language and time zone.Learn more
Multi-country coordinationMulti-country studies run to one timeline and one standard, with local-language fieldwork and a single project manager coordinating every market.Learn more
Face-to-face CAPITablet-based face-to-face interviews in homes, streets, stores, venues and central locations, with GPS stamps, timing checks and back-checks.Learn moreCase studies
Projects we have delivered
Anonymised client projects and examples where this service was part of the work.
Next step
Planning your next study?
Send us your brief and get feasibility, timelines and costs within 24 hours.