Supermarket Settings and Consumer Behavior: A Systematic Mapping Review and Future Research Avenues

Abstract

Supermarkets and related environments are not just places to buy groceries; they are complex environments filled with diverse stimuli that shape consumer behavior and decision-making processes. Despite their increasing use as study settings, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding which supermarket-type settings are currently utilized in consumer research and how they are employed to explore consumer behavior. In this systematic mapping review, we aim to address this gap by mapping and characterizing studies that used supermarket-type settings to investigate consumer behavior in the food domain. We searched Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline using the PRISMA framework, identifying and analyzing 305 scientific articles. We identified the following settings: (a) physical real-life supermarkets, (b) experimental online supermarkets, (c) real-life online supermarkets, (d) laboratory supermarkets, (e) laboratory shelves, (f) virtual-reality supermarkets, and (g) proxies for a supermarket. We report on several variables: study topics, observed behaviors, integrated surveys and technical tools, participants' awareness of being observed and the bindingness of consumer decisions, among others. Additionally, we identify key knowledge gaps, offering insights for guiding future investigations. They relate to study participation effects, the potential of virtual settings, the use of available technologies, the identification of unexplored research topics, how to improve the monitoring of decision effort and other hidden behaviors, and the importance of comparing supermarket settings. This mapping review thus serves as a valuable resource for researchers seeking to conduct intervention, observation, and meta-analytical studies in consumer behavior within the food sector.