On 2013-02-16 19:08:57 +0000, jmcquown said:

> Other times I've been sent cat litter for Persia to test. Sometimes
> I've tested cosmetic type things. Manufacturers do market research
> like this all the time. That's partially how the determine whether to
> set up a new production line.

I spent a working careere in market research. A lot of the time we
tested products to find out if a new formulation (read "cheaper") would
be detected by users. Frequently swapping a different variety or
source of palm oil in snack products, and for pantyhose, the
thread-count per inch. That kind of stuff.

I only dealt with cosmetics peripherally, but one I was related to was,
again, testing a slightly less expensive formulation.