A new US study — one that local food brands should take note of — says more than eight in 10 consumers have bought a different brand from the one they normally purchase in the past three months.
Inmar Intelligence says lower prices of substitute brands influenced this decision for more than 65% of shoppers while stock shortages for the original brand motivated 51% to make a switch.
Among shoppers who made a switch, 44% said they would repurchase the new brand even if the original preferred brand was available again, while 36% would return to the original brand.
According to Nielsen’s recent "State of Private Label Report SA", consumers are no longer seeing "no-name brands" as a cheaper alternative and they are now spending close on R55bn a year on nonbranded products.