What does this research mean for the field?

Playing selected background music, such as jazz, in coffee retail settings significantly improves consumer experience, perceived ambiance, and beverage sales without altering fundamental product offerings. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This research investigates how background music influences coffee consumption and consumer reactions.

July 1, 2026Journal of Marketing Analytics0 citationsOpen Access

Background music effects in coffee retail: evidence from survey, electroencephalography, and field data

JBJakub Berčík SMSerhiy Moroz PMPavel Michálek

Key Points

This research investigates how background music influences coffee consumption and consumer reactions.
Comprehensive consumer survey with 2,501 participants to identify preferred music genres.
Laboratory electroencephalography experiment with 44 participants measuring emotional responses to various music genres.
Practical intervention in a coffee shop playing jazz music for 13 months during afternoon hours.
Significant increase in beverage sales and perceived ambiance when jazz music was played, particularly on weekends.
Emotional responses showed higher activation for classical and jazz music.
Economic analysis indicated a 240% return on investment from the music intervention.

Abstract

Abstract This research investigates the function of background music as a sensory marketing instrument in relation to coffee intake, integrating declarative, neurophysiological, and behavioral data. The study is organized into three interrelated phases. A comprehensive consumer study ( n = 2,501) identified music genres associated with relaxation and leisure, laying the foundation for stimulus selection. A laboratory Electroencephalography experiment ( n = 44) assessed emotional reactions (arousal and relaxation) to six instrumental genres, indicating that classical and jazz music elicited the most significant activation. A practical intervention was implemented in a hospitality establishment, where jazz music was played during the afternoon hours (14:00–17:00) for 13 months. The intervention resulted in a statistically significant rise in both beverage sales and perceived ambiance, especially on weekends. The economic analysis validated the financial feasibility demonstrating a 240% return on investment. The findings indicate that selected background music can improve the consumer experience and commercial performance in agri-food service settings without modifying fundamental product offerings. This multi-method approach enhances the expanding field of sensory marketing research, providing actionable insights for food retail and hospitality operators aiming to affect customer behavior through subtle environmental cues.

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