A company claims that its new laundry detergent removes stains more

IMO E
The qs statement states the effectiveness of stain removal is the main test
E states that the participants judged on the basis of some other parameter- smell

The answer is E?
Can you please provide OA?

To weaken the company's claim that its new laundry detergent removes stains more effectively than any other detergent on the market, we need to find information that suggests the blind test results may not accurately reflect the detergent's stain-removing capabilities. Let's evaluate each option:

(A) The majority of participants were not experienced in doing laundry and had limited knowledge about various detergents.

Option (A) weakens the company's claim by suggesting that the participants may not be knowledgeable enough about laundry detergents to make an informed judgment. If participants lack experience and knowledge about detergents, their preference for the new detergent may not be a reliable indicator of its stain-removing effectiveness.

(B) The new detergent is significantly more expensive than other leading brands.

Option (B) doesn't directly weaken the claim about stain removal but could potentially make people less likely to purchase the new detergent, even if it were more effective. However, it doesn't directly address the stain-removing capabilities of the detergent.

(C) The participants were not informed about the brands they were testing during the blind test.

Option (C) doesn't necessarily weaken the claim about stain removal but could potentially affect the participants' judgments. If participants were not aware of the brands they were testing, they might not have any preconceived biases. However, this option doesn't directly address the detergent's stain-removing capabilities.

(D) The sample size of participants in the blind test was relatively small compared to the overall population.

Option (D) suggests that the sample size was relatively small, which could raise questions about the test's reliability and whether the results accurately reflect the broader population. While it's a relevant concern, it doesn't directly challenge the detergent's stain-removing capabilities.

(E) The participants were only asked to compare the smell of the detergents, not their stain-removing capabilities.

Option (E) directly weakens the company's claim by revealing that the participants were only asked to compare the smell of the detergents, not their stain-removing capabilities. Since the company's claim is about stain removal, this information significantly undermines the test's relevance to that claim.

Among the options, (E) is the most effective at weakening the company's claim regarding stain removal, as it directly addresses the focus of the claim made by the company.