Most Europeans are brand-aware
The finding of the GfK "Brand awareness in Europe” survey
Nuremberg, April 3, 2009 – Brand versus price: depending on their nationality, European consumers tend to focus more or less on a particular product feature. Germans and Austrians are most concerned with price, while the Spanish, Italians, Poles and Russians base their purchasing decisions mainly on brand. These are the finding of a nine-country European survey on consumer brand and price awareness carried out by the GfK Association.
The survey showed that price is paramount to German and Austrian consumers when it comes to buying and this applies to around 60% of them in the case of food and soft drinks, and even entertainment electronics like MP3 players or TVs. The percentage is even slightly higher for clothing and shoes, where German and Austrian consumers look for reasonable prices first. In this product group, the price-conscious Russians came next, with 47%, or one out of two looking for a bargain.
However, in many areas, the consumers in other European countries surveyed were found to be more brand-aware. For example, the brand label is the decisive factor for seven out of ten Spanish and Polish consumers when they buy food and soft drinks. The Italians and the British are most brand-aware when they buy clothing and shoes and with around 70% each, the Dutch and the Poles are top of the brand-awareness list for purchases of consumer electronics.
On the other hand, when it comes to alcoholic beverages, in all nine countries surveyed, the brand proved to be the dominant factor. Three quarters of the French, Spanish, Poles, British and Dutch and half of the German and Austrian consumers surveyed on their choice of beers, wines and spirits based their choices on brand names.
The link between personal values and brand-awareness
The survey also shows that in all the countries surveyed, there is a definite link between the personal consumer values and brand awareness. Irrespective of nationality, it is the individuals who, by their own admission, are looking for more fun and enjoyment in life, want to live well, in many cases try to develop their own ideas, want to be successful and want recognition from others, who place a high value on branded products. In addition, more than any others, brand-aware consumers have a strong desire to possess expensive items and to lead a more exciting life than their fellow human beings.
The survey
The findings are taken from a "European brand-awareness and values” survey. A total of around 10,300 consumers in nine European countries comprising Germany, France, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Poland and Russia were surveyed for the study, which was commissioned by the GfK-Nürnberg e.V. (the GfK Association). The survey is representative of approximately 428 million private European consumers of 14+, resp. 15+ years of age. It examines brand-awareness in purchasing for a total of 18 selected product groups, as well as attitudes to basic personal values in nine European countries.
Further information: Ronald Frank, the GfK Association., Tel: +49 911 395-3004, ronald.frank@gfk.com
GfK-Nürnberg e.V. (the GfK Association)
The GfK Association was established in 1934 to promote market research. Its membership consists of approximately 600 companies and individuals. The purpose of the GfK Association is to carry out basic research, to promote the training and further education of market researchers and to regularly produce studies to be made available to the membership. With a 57% stake, the GfK Association is the majority shareholder of GfK SE. More information: www.gfk-verein.com.
The GfK Group
The GfK Group is the No. 4 market research organization worldwide. Its activities cover the three business sectors of Custom Research, Retail and Media. The GfK Group has a network of 115 companies operating in more than 100 countries. Of a total of approximately 10,000 employees (as at December 31, 2008), more than 80% are based outside Germany. For further information, visit our website: www.gfk.com
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