It now includes a cinema with an Imax projector and a replica living room, kitchen and convenience store. The centre was first built in 2008 to focus on confectionery products, but now covers Nestlé UK’s entire range.

Paul Grimwood, chief executive of Nestlé UK, said: “We are the only company in the United Kingdom to offer our retail customers strategic insight in such a state-of-the-art learning environment.”

The Insight and Learning Centre is one of several such facilities that the company uses to research how people behave when shopping and when using Nestlé products at home, in order to help retailers maximise sales of its products. Others are located in the US, France and Spain, and more are under development in China, Italy and Mexico, the firm said.

Nestlé is now working on a new learning centre, due top open next summer at the headquarters of its Purina pet food business in St Louis, Missouri.