Research summary · Field experiment · 2019
Ambient scent intensity in a supermarket: effects on mood, time in store and sales
In a large working supermarket, a melon scent diffused at high intensity improved shoppers’ evaluations of the store, the time they spent in it and store-level sales. Lower intensities did less, and the scent worked especially well for shoppers in a hurry.
Reviewed by Simon Faure-Field · 8 October 2026 · Based on the published abstract
At a glance
Key findings
- Highintensity was the level at which scent improved evaluations, time in store and sales.
- 30%more time in store at high intensity than without scent, as reported by the authors’ business school.
- 100shoppers studied at each intensity level.
The study
Citation and study details
Citation: Leenders, M. A. A. M., Smidts, A., & El Haji, A. (2019). Ambient scent as a mood inducer in supermarkets: The role of scent intensity and time-pressure of shoppers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 48, 270–280.
Read the original: doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.05.007
- Study typeField experimentPeer-reviewed
- SampleAbout 100 shoppers per intensity levelPlus store-level sales
- SettingA large supermarketStore of a major operator
- Evidence gradeA: direct field evidenceStore-level sales measured
Method
What the researchers did
A melon scent was diffused at three intensity levels in a working supermarket that already had its own food smells.
The researchers chose a simple scent, melon, to suit the store, and diffused it through electrostatic aroma diffusers at three intensity levels in a large store of a major supermarket operator. Because supermarkets already smell of fresh food and bakery products, the study tested whether an added scent could still make a difference against that background.
Shoppers were surveyed about their mood, their evaluation of the store, how long they thought they had shopped and how hurried they felt, and store-level sales were recorded. According to a summary published by the authors’ business school, about 100 customers were studied at each intensity level and compared with a period without scent.
Results
What they found
Only the high intensity produced clear benefits, working through shoppers’ mood.
At high intensity, the scent had a significant positive effect on shoppers’ store evaluations, the time they spent in the store and store-level sales. The authors’ business school reported that shoppers spent about 30% more time in the store at high intensity than during the no-scent period.
Mood was a strong mediator: the scent improved shoppers’ mood, and the better mood drove more positive evaluations. The effect was strongest for hurried shoppers, who tend to arrive in a worse mood; shoppers who were not in a hurry improved only slightly.
The scent also changed how long the trip felt. At lower intensities, shoppers tended to overestimate how long they had spent shopping; at high intensity, they tended to underestimate it.
Limitations
Limitations
One store and one scent, and some figures come from the authors’ own summary.
The study tested a single scent in a single supermarket, so the intensity levels that worked there may not transfer to other spaces, scents or diffusion systems.
This summary is based on the published abstract and a summary of the research published by the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. We have not yet reviewed the full paper, so effect sizes and exact sales figures are not reported here.
A note on the evidence
How strong is this evidence?
Strong field evidence on a question few studies address: how much scent to use.
Most scent studies compare scent with no scent. This one compares intensities in a working store with real sales data, which makes it unusually practical. Its finding that only the highest level produced benefits is an important caution for any business using a very subtle scent and expecting results.
For commercial spaces
What it means for commercial spaces
For a supermarket or large store, the study suggests that a faint scent may be lost against existing smells and do little; a clearly perceptible level is what changed behaviour here. It also suggests that scent can do most for customers who arrive stressed or hurried. Any business setting up scent should test intensity deliberately rather than default to the lowest setting, and check that customers can actually notice it.
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How to cite this summary
Scent Swirl. (2026). Summary of Leenders et al. (2019), Ambient scent as a mood inducer in supermarkets: The role of scent intensity and time-pressure of shoppers. Scent Research Library. https://scentswirl.com/research/leenders-2019-supermarket-scent-intensity/ (last reviewed 8 October 2026 by Simon Faure-Field).
This summary is based on the published abstract. We have not yet reviewed the full paper. If you spot an error or know of a study we should add, we would like to hear from you.
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