IFRA U.K. Presents Sense of Smell Survey Results

The International Fragrance Association U.K. (IFRA U.K.) has undertaken a recent YouGov survey to take an in-depth look at the United Kingdom’s sense of smell and how much it is valued.

Related: IFRA Announces Opening of India Liaison Office

The survey showed that less than one percent of U.K. adults will acknowledge having no sense of smell, with women more likely than men to say their sense of smell is excellent. It also revealed that over half of U.K. adults (55%) say they notice the smell of things five or more times a day and almost two-thirds (64%) say they can imagine particular smells well, such as cut grass, fresh laundry and fried onions. Nearly half the population (49%) notice the scents of friends or relatives, and over two-thirds (71%) of the population notice the smell of places they regularly visit, such as museums, holiday spots or churches.

The survey revealed that for 60% of U.K. adults, the main feeling evoked by their sense of smell is nostalgia. Much of that sense of comfort and sentimentality is connected to food—almost a third of U.K. adults (32%) appreciate their sense of smell because it helps sharpen their appetite. When asked what childhood smells they remember, responses included “freshly mown grass,” “cakes baking,” “the smell of rain,” “melting Tarmac,” “Sunday roast cooking” and even “school dinners.” When asked what smells they no longer encounter and miss, many responses were linked to food and home comforts, including “grandparents’ cooking,” “Grandma’s kitchen,” “my Mum’s face cream” and “Grandad’s shed.”

The survey identified that the top reasons people value their sense of smell are:

• It helps them be alert to feelings of cleanliness and hygiene (50% of U.K. adults)
• It draws their attention to unpleasant things (49% of U.K. adults)
• It reminds them of people, places and things in the past (44% of U.K. adults)
• It sharpens their appetite (32% of U.K. adults)
• It makes people feel more aware of the natural world (31%)

Lisa Hipgrave, director of IFRA U.K., said, “The survey shows that people are much more aware of their sense of smell than is widely assumed and many can easily recall and identify important smells and scents. Unsurprisingly, with loss of smell listed as one of the main symptoms of COVID-19, many people value their sense of smell more than they did three years ago, pre-pandemic.”

Barry C Smith, director of the Institute of Philosophy at the Centre for the Study of the Senses and chair of IFRA U.K.’s Fragrance Forum 2022, said, “We average around 20,000 breaths a day with each one informing us about our surroundings. As the survey revealed, we use our sense of smell to indicate if something is fresh, to sharpen our appetite, and to alert us to unpleasant things. The olfactory receptors in the nose connect us directly to areas of the brain that create memories. That’s why our sense of smell is so important to our well-being and to feel connected. It connects us to our present surroundings but also to our pasts with familiar aromas evoking feelings of nostalgia. At this year’s Fragrance Forum, we will delve deeper into what people think about their sense of smell, the role it plays in their lives and how we can measure how good it is or isn’t.”

Want to know everything going on in flavor & fragrance? Sign up for P&F+'s newsletter. You can also follow along on Instagram and LinkedIn.