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Guide · Product sampling

Sampling by product type: what each product needs.

A tray of crisps, a frozen dessert and a measure of gin need very different sampling days. Here is what each product type needs in kit, rules, places and people, so your plan fits what you're handing out.

7 min read8 steps6 checks
Emmi Caffè Latte sampling team with giant branded cups beside the sampling van
If a campaign covers several product types, plan for the most demanding one. A stand that can handle chilled samples can also handle ambient ones, but not the other way round.The one thing to remember

Start here

Plan for what you're handing out.

Product type by product type, from snacks to pet food, then a table to check your plan against. Follow the line; tap any point to read it.

Sampling staff handing out Boost iced coffee from a branded sampling bin
01Step 1 of 8
Vital Fizz sampling staff on the brand's stand at Taste of London

Start from the product

The product decides more of a sampling plan than most people expect: what equipment the team needs, which rules apply, which places will accept it, how long a sample can sit out and what the team must know.

  • Equipment
  • Rules
  • Places
  • Time out
  • What to know
Key pointIf a campaign covers several product types, plan for the most demanding one. A stand that can handle chilled samples can also handle ambient ones, but not the other way round.
02Step 2 of 8
The Protein Ball Co sampling stand with a staff member under a glass roof

Ambient snacks and confectionery

Packaged snacks, biscuits, cereal bars and sweets are the easiest products to sample.

  • A taste
  • A trial pack
  • A full-size pack
03Step 3 of 8
Kinder Ice Cream sampling staff member with stock in a freezer unit at Reading Festival

Chilled and frozen products

Yoghurts, desserts, ice cream, chilled drinks and fresh foods need a cold chain from storage to the moment they're handed over.

  1. Stock kept cold
  2. Small batches out
  3. Temperature checks
  4. Top up
04Step 4 of 8
Wasabi hot food sampling van with a staff member on a Leeds high street

Hot food

Hot food is the most demanding category.

  • Cooking kit
  • Power or gas
  • Handwashing
  • Holding temperature
  • Waste
05Step 5 of 8
Sampling staff handing an Emmi Caffè Latte to a commuter at King's Cross station

Soft drinks, coffee and energy drinks

Soft drinks are simple to sample in small cups or cans.

  • Cups
  • Lids
  • Bins
  • Water for cleaning
06Step 6 of 8
Brand ambassador pouring a small Modelo sample at a bar

Alcohol

Alcohol sampling needs small measures, age checks, the venue's or event's agreement and staff who understand responsible promotion.

  1. Small measures
  2. Age checks
  3. Refusals recorded
  4. Stock kept secure
07Step 7 of 8
Gisada fragrance sampling staff handing a tester to a shopper in London

Beauty, household, pet and baby products

Beauty, toiletries and household products are often sampled as sachets, testers or trial packs to take home, because people use them later rather than on the spot.

  • Sachets
  • Testers
  • Trial packs
  • Take-home
08Step 8 of 8
Naturo pet food sampling team at their roadshow van

Planning across categories

Use the table to check that the plan fits the product before choosing venues and dates.

  1. The product
  2. Kit and rules
  3. Venues
  4. Dates

Checklist

Before the first sampling shift.

Ready to sample.

Tortilla brand ambassador beside the food truck in Clapham, London

Across categories

What each product needs.

Kit, places and what to plan for, product type by product type.

Product typeKitSuitsPlan for
Ambient snacksTrays, counter, bagsStations, streets, campuses, eventsAllergen information, stock volume
Chilled and frozenFridges, freezers, cool boxes, powerStores, warm-weather eventsCold chain, time out of the fridge
Hot foodCooking kit, power or gas, handwashingVans, car parks, eventsFood hygiene, venue cooking rules
Soft and hot drinksCups, lids, chillers or urns, waterCommuter routes, eventsWaste, energy drink age rules
AlcoholSmall measures, secure stockLicensed venues, stores, festivalsLicensing, age checks, records
Beauty and householdSachets, testers, take-home packsStores, centres, officesHygiene, how-to-use explanation
PetTreats, trial packsPet stores, dog shows, parksVenue agreement, ask owners first

Common questions

Sampling by product type, answered.

Do sampling staff need food hygiene certificates?

For open food, and especially hot food, staff handling it should be trained in food hygiene. For sealed, packaged products it is less critical, but allergen knowledge still matters.

Can we sample alcohol in public places?

Sometimes, but it depends on the location and how the alcohol is supplied. Check with the council's licensing team and the landowner, and look at any local restrictions on drinking in public spaces.

How do we keep frozen samples cold all day?

Keep most of the stock in a freezer or cool box, put out small batches, top up often and agree with the brand how long a sample can safely sit out.

Can we sample energy drinks?

Yes, to adults. Don't sample high-caffeine energy drinks to children, and brief staff to ask when they're unsure of someone's age.

Is take-home sampling better for beauty products?

Often, because people use them later. Pair the sample with a short explanation of how to use the product, or a quick demonstration where the venue allows it.

Corona Cero sampling staff holding bottles in front of the brand display

Further reading

What is product sampling? A practical guide for brands

Whether sampling suits your launch: the objective, the places, the timing, the team, what drives the cost and how to measure it.

Read the guide →

Sampling a product?

Teams trained for your product type.

EXECUTIONAL supplies product sampling staff across the UK, briefed on your product and, where it needs them, holding food hygiene certificates or trained in age checks. Tell us what you're sampling and where, and we'll build the team around it.

Ask for a quote →