The leading manufacturer of bottled sauces has announced that it intends to introduce a new line of sauces that will be condensed by a factor of three to one. The condensed sauces will be marketed as pro-environment since the manufacturer will be able to reduce the amount of packaging required for an equivalent amount of non-condensed sauce. The manufacturer also claims that it will also be able to reduce the amount of packaging required to ship the sauce, and correspondingly reduce the energy consumed to transport the sauce to supermarkets since the condensed sauces will be lighter per unit. Many market analysts believe that the new condensed sauces could become more popular than the older, non-condensed sauces.

Which one of the following, if true, most strongly supports the prediction made by the market analysts?


A. Consumers, in general, are guided by environmental considerations when making a purchase decision about a sauce.

B. Supermarkets will give the condensed sauces the same degree of visibility on shelves as they do the traditional, non-condensed sauces.

C. Some analysts estimate that consumers of the condensed sauces may end up paying more per unit of sauce consumed than they would have for non-condensed sauces.

D. Consumer research shows that consumers might be initially reluctant to purchase the condensed sauces.

E. Other sauce manufacturers are unlikely to respond with their own condensed sauces any time soon.


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B. Supermarkets will give the condensed sauces the same degree of visibility on shelves as they do the traditional, non-condensed sauces.

Does not make a difference since the degree of visibility would be the same.

C. Some analysts estimate that consumers of the condensed sauces may end up paying more per unit of sauce consumed than they would have for non-condensed sauces.
Weakens the argument if anything.

D. Consumer research shows that consumers might be initially reluctant to purchase the condensed sauces.
Weakens.

E. Other sauce manufacturers are unlikely to respond with their own condensed sauces any time soon.

Close contender. But it does not say that the competitors will not respond with their own condensed sauces at all. So it does not strengthen the argument.

A strengthens it because the main value that the sauce adds is that it is environment friendly. Can be confirmed with the Negation Technique

BID: New product (Sauce) more environment friendly, less packaging and hence reduce transportation energy.
Conclusion: more popular tan old product.
Missing Info: What does help this product to be popular? I came up with different thoughts to strengthen the argument such positive environment consequences, lowering energy means lower cost and hence supermarkets will lower prices and then the suave become more saleable.

A. supports my pre thinking and make me believe that it will be more popular.
B. Visibility does guarantee that people will buy it.
C. weaken the marketing analyst's prediction. Also no basis why the cost will be more than the old one.
D weaken the marketing analyst's prediction.
E. Not relevant as the compasriosn between 2 products for same company. The argument does not deal with general competition.

Winner is A

If both products will be sold in the same conditions, how can we conclude that the new sauce will sell better? This answer choice doesn't really strengthen the conclusion "that the new condensed sauces could become more popular than the older, non-condensed sauces". At best, sales of both products will be equal.

Compare it to (A). What's the feature that new condensed sauces have and the older non-condensed don't? New, environmentally friendly process of production&distribution. In what circumstances can it boost sales of the new product line? Well, if "consumers, in general, are guided by environmental considerations when making a purchase decision about a sauce", they will choose condensed sauce over non-condensed one and eventually the new sauce will become more popular. Choice (A) definitely strengthens analysts' prediction.