## 5 Conclusions
On the basis of conscious feedback, respondents evaluated the vanilla aroma as the best (7.87), which is generally the most widely accepted aroma and most people associate it with childhood (the scent of mother's milk). The worst was the orange citrus aroma (5.67). An interesting finding is the assessment of the nougat aroma (6.76), which was better rated than the chocolate aroma (6.46). When asked which aroma seemed best suited for the confectionery department, the nougat (17 respondents) and vanilla (12 respondents) aromas were the most preferred in physical testing, which is in contrast to the biometric association test. Differences in the development of the perception of aroma samples in terms of time have also been confirmed through a statistical test, and while some emotions have been more stable, others have changed. In addition to electroencephalography, unconscious feedback was taken by measuring microemotions based on facial expressions. In this case, based on the mean median valence, respondents were most positive about the aroma of nougat (0.04) and the most negative about the orange aroma (\(-\)0.02). The statistical test also confirmed differences in perception between the aromas of orange and nougat and between the aromas of nougat and coffee. On the basis of these findings and after consultations with the managers of the retail company, we decided to use the aroma of nougat in the real conditions of the confectionery department. The last stage (3) consisted of research on the impact of selected aromas on implicit and explicit linkages under the real conditions of a commercial operation. The solution to this part of the work was significantly influenced by the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Implicit data collection under real conditions was impossible, as the obligation to cover and protect the upper airways in the interiors of buildings prevented the detection of people and the recognition of emotions. In this context, data collection under real conditions was limited to explicit feedback. Last but not least, the pandemic also affected the validity of the data itself, as it can be assumed that different types of facial protection (respirator, face mask, scarf) more or less affected the perception of the aromas. In the light of the above, we have not been able to verify the presumption of the difference between implicit and explicit feedback under real conditions. The results from obtaining a conscious feedback under real conditions show approximately the same assessment of the atmosphere of the confectionery department in the pre-Christmas period with aromatisation (average 1.80; 1580 replies) and in the pre-Easter period with no aromatisation (average 1.88; 1216 replies). A pleasant atmosphere in stores or public spaces under the influence of a suitably chosen aroma can fundamentally affect the overall perception of people, which will ultimately have an impact on the economic results. The right choice of aroma also completes the overall atmosphere of the chosen sales department. Since the influence of aromas has mainly a subconscious effect, the choice of a suitable aromatic compound should not be limited to traditional forms of research. Therefore, we recommend sellers a combination of traditional research forms with the tools of consumer neuroscience, which provide a detailed view of real human emotions under the influence of particular aromas. This method will allow retailers to choose an aroma that will positively contribute to improving the perception of the environment not only for customers but also for employees. It should be taken into consideration that the research of preferences in the field of aromatization also requires special equipment which allows the testing of various fragrance compounds under laboratory as well as in real conditions.