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Frequently asked questions

  • Can anyone apply?

    Yes, providing you are over the age of 18. Every study we conduct is different, so we often require a range of demographics, purchase behaviours and consumption habits. Some of our studies may even get your children or pets involved! Please read our terms and conditions for more information, there may be restrictions for participating in certain studies for health and safety purposes.

    What happens after I apply?

    Once your application has been approved, your account will be activated, and you will shortly start receiving emails from us. These emails may be invitations for upcoming studies, for which you will need to complete a recruitment questionnaire, or invitations to complete mini polls, which give you the opportunity to provide additional information about yourself. We also like to send update emails from the team. Your details will only be used by Campden BRI for research purposes, as detailed in the privacy notice.

    Why do I need log in credentials and a security question?

    This is to ensure that only you can access your account. Studies are for the account holder only and you should not ask friends or relatives to take your place. If you have any friends or relatives who are interested, they are more than welcome to apply themselves

  • How will I be contacted to participate in studies?

    The majority of study invitations will be by email; to determine your eligibility for each study, you will be required to complete a recruitment questionnaire and if successful, you will be provided with further joining instructions to secure your place on the study. We may ask you to provide a contact number in relation to that study, but we won’t use this number for any other purposes.

    Why do you ask so many questions about me?

    For each study there is a set recruitment criteria that we are required to meet. To ensure panellists are eligible to participate, we will ask particular questions in the recruitment questionnaire and during the assessment. It may feel repetitive, but we limit the amount of personal information we hold about you.

    How often will I be asked to participate in studies?

    We conduct studies on a regular basis throughout the year, at different times of the day and week depending on individual study requirements. We try to provide as much notice as possible, however we often stagger the live timings and send invitations out in waves in the week beforehand, up until the study is full or after any cancellations. Please remember, we cannot guarantee how many studies you will be invited to and be eligible for. There is no obligation to participate in every study you are invited to or eligible for.

    How do I know if I have qualified for a study?

    On successful completion of the recruitment questionnaire, you will be provided with further joining instructions to secure your place on the study. You will then receive an email confirming your place on the study, followed by a reminder email up to 24 hours before the study date.

    Why haven’t I qualified to participate in a study?

    For each study there will be a set recruitment criteria we are required to meet, so we ask specific questions in the recruitment questionnaire to ensure panellists are eligible to participate. As our work is confidential, we are unable to disclose these criteria, although they can cover a range of demographics, purchase behaviours and consumption habits. Some studies also are restricted for health & safety purposes, please read our terms and conditions for more information.

    How long does it take to participate in a study?

    When you are invited to a study, we will provide details including approximate duration of the study in order to complete all participation requirements. Studies can take between 10 to 90 minutes, and sometimes can require participation over multiple days. The duration will depend on the number and types of samples as well as the depth of the assessment involved; on-site sessions will be paced for all panellists in attendance at that time.

    Can I bring my children with me to the venue?

    Unfortunately we cannot allow children to be left unattended in the waiting room/reception area or to enter the assessment rooms unless they are participating in the study alongside you (this will be specified in the study confirmation email).

    What can I expect when participating in an on-site study?

    For these types of studies, on successful completion of the recruitment questionnaire you will be given access to a schedule in order to select a time/date to attend. You will be asked to arrive at the venue up to 10 minutes before your scheduled session time, where you will need to sign on the attendance register in the waiting room or reception area, so we know you are there. Then at the start of the session, panellists are led into the assessment room which for a taste assessment, is typically set out with individual desks, a tablet computer for you to log into your account and access the assessment, and any other equipment required including palate cleansers. A full briefing will be given by the team to explain general housekeeping as well as provide full instructions on how to complete the assessment. The assessment will be conducted in quiet conditions, and you will be served at your desk by the team. If you have any concerns, please contact us beforehand; otherwise rest assured, the team are always on-hand on the day to help with any questions or issues so do come say hello.

    What can I expect when participating in a home study?

    For these types of studies, on successful completion of the recruitment questionnaire you will be given access to a schedule in order to select a time/date to collect a pack/kit in-person or for it to be delivered to your specified address, depending on the study requirements. If collecting from the venue, you will be asked to arrive at your scheduled time and go to designated area to sign for receipt of the pack/kit. Typically, packs/kits will contain any samples and equipment required as well as full instructions on sample storage, how to complete the assessment at home and any timeline requirements. If you have any concerns, please contact us beforehand; otherwise rest assured, the team are contactable for the duration of the study to help with any questions or issues.

    What can I expect when participating in an on-line study?

    For these types of studies, on successful completion of the recruitment questionnaire you will be provided with further details on the study requirements. Depending on the nature of the on-line study, you may be given specific timings to log into your account to join the study or a deadline to complete the study requirements by. On-line studies could involve a survey, group discussions or one-to-one interviews as well as other concurrent tasks. If you have any concerns, please contact us beforehand; otherwise rest assured, the team are contactable for the duration of the study to help with any questions or issues.

    Will you take photographs and/or video/audio recordings when I participate in a study?

    When participating in a study, you may be photographed and/or video/audio recordings taken of you for research purposes and those may be passed to our client, who will have limited access. Where possible, these will be taken in a manner which will minimise personal identification. For on-site studies, you may also be observed via a one-way mirror. You will be notified in advance, and this will also be detailed in the consent form you will be required to complete before participating. Please read our privacy notice for more information.

    Can I take photographs and/or video/audio recordings when I participate in a study?

    Unless required as part of the study, you should not take any photographs and/or video/audio recordings while participating in a study. Any study you participate in is confidential, and you are not to disclose or discuss any of the ideas, products, or materials to a third party - please read our terms and conditions for more information.

    What could I receive for taking part?

    Please remember any participation is voluntary, this is not a form of employment, and we cannot guarantee how many studies you will be invited to or be eligible to participate in. Many of our studies do include an incentive as a reward for eligible panellists who complete all participation requirements. The incentive will vary depending on study requirements and will be detailed in the invitation email as well as on any subsequent form eligible panellists are required to submit in order for us to process the incentive.

    How do I cancel any participation in a study or change my scheduled time/date?

    We appreciate circumstances can change, if you can no longer participate in the study or need to change your scheduled time/date, please log onto your account and click on the ‘Schedule’ tab where you will be able to view, reschedule or cancel upcoming appointments. We ideally require 24 hours' notice to stop the system from flagging you as a non-participant and to give someone else the opportunity to participate. Please note repeated last-minute cancellations or drop-outs may affect future participation.

    Can anyone else participate on my behalf?

    No, unfortunately studies are for the account holder only and you should not ask friends or relatives to take your place. If you have any friends or relatives who are interested, they are more than welcome to apply themselves.

  • How can I log in to my account?

    You can log in to your account by using your email address and password. The weblink is different from the Campden BRI Consumer Panel website (tastingfood.co.uk) as we use a web portal for panellists to access their account. This is a dedicated and secure system provided by the supplier for our data collection software and is held and managed in line with GDPR requirements. Please read ourprivacy notice for more information.

    How do I update my account?

    When you log in, click on the ‘Account’ tab; you will be asked to answer your security question and then you will be able to update your details. Please remember to click modify at the bottom of the page so that your information is saved. If you need to change your email address, please contact the team.

    How will I be contacted?

    The majority of communication is through email, using the email address associated with your account. We may ask you to provide a contact number for studies you are scheduled to participate in, but we will only use this number for the purpose specified.

    What if I forget my log in details?

    Click ‘Lost password’ on the log in page and you will receive an email which will allow you to reset your password / security question. Please contact the team if you experience any issues.

    How can I delete my account?

    You can delete your account at any time by logging in and clicking unsubscribe. Alternatively, all of our emails contain an unsubscribe link which will automatically delete your account; or you can contact the team directly.

    What if I accidentally unsubscribe?

    If you accidentally unsubscribe, this will delete your account. Please don’t apply again but contact the team and we will be able to help.

    How will you use my account details?

    The information you supply will be used by Campden BRI for research purposes only and for each study you participate in you will be required to complete a consent form. Please read our privacy notice for more information.

  • Why can’t I see the recruitment questionnaire after receiving an invitation email?

    If the session is full, or you are logging into your account before it goes live, you won’t be able to access the recruitment questionnaire and your account may display 'no tests available'. Unfortunately, spaces are limited and receiving an invitation does not guarantee you a place on the study; we often stagger the live timings and send invitations out in waves in the week beforehand, up until the study is full or after any cancellations in order to ensure all panellists have a fair opportunity to participate.

    Can you reset my responses if I enter them incorrectly?

    We are unable to reset your responses if you make a mistake therefore, please read the questions carefully before answering.

  • Why do you send me so many mini polls?

    We limit the amount of personal information we hold about you. Therefore, alongside your account details, we send invitations to complete mini polls to get the most up-to-date information about your preferences, purchase behaviours and consumption habits to help us invite the right people to participate in future studies.

    Why do other people I know receive different invitations to me?

    You will not always receive the same invites as other people you may know on our Consumer Panel. We invite panellists who are likely to be eligible to participate based on mini poll responses and account details to prevent anyone applying unnecessarily. From this group, panellists are randomly selected to be invited.

    Will anybody try to sell me something as a result of being a panellist?

    No, the information you supply will be used by Campden BRI for research purposes only. For confidentially reasons, we can’t disclose any results or outcomes from the studies you participate in; unfortunately, this includes revealing brands of the samples you assess.