Hotness Perception of Heated Tobacco Products Study

A global tobacco company needed to quantitatively assess how consumers perceive temperature when using heated tobacco products — and to understand individual differences, thresholds, and cultural influences on temperature sensitivity. The study combined controlled taste-testing with qualitative in-depth interviews.

• CLT (Central Location Test) at an indoor smoking-permitted venue: N=240 pre-recruited adults across 3 major HTP brands plus switcher-intent combustible smokers; each attended 2 sessions and tested devices at different temperature settings using tablets to rate flavor, aroma, feel, and temperature
• IDI (30 min) with select CLT participants: explored subjective heat perception, behavioral adaptations during usage, and cultural context around ‘hotness’ in food and beverage habits

• Combined quantitative temperature ratings with qualitative perception narratives, providing a layered view of how consumers experience and evaluate heat in HTP products
• Identified consumer acceptance ranges and temperature evaluation tendencies, informing future device temperature design directions
• Revealed the role of food culture and personal hotness tolerance in shaping HTP temperature preferences — insights typically not captured in standard product testing