National Consumer Agency Market Research Findings: Shopping and Pricing March 2012 Research Conducted by

2 Making Complaints  Key Findings  Section 1: General Shopping and Pricing  Section 2: Grocery Shopping  Research Background and Methodology  Profile of Sample Table of Contents

3 Making Complaints Key Findings

4 Making Complaints Key Findings - I Shopping and Pricing Over 4 in 5 (85%) compare/shop around for better prices. Price remains the leading influencing factor in determining where to shop at 56% (↑3%) with convenience second at 21% (↓2%). Consumers citing an awareness of the price of everyday goods has increased from 71% to 78%. For those responsible for the main grocery shop, 93% state that they are aware of the prices of everyday goods, an all-time high.

5 Making Complaints Key Findings – II Grocery Shopping Price is number one determining factor in deciding where to carry out the main grocery shop, rising by 10% points to 73%, with convenience considered the second most important factor, at 54%. Over 3 in 10 (31% up 3%) now visit a particular store based on special offers advertised, whereas almost 2 in 3 ( 65%) consumers visit their usual store and pick up special offers while there. The overall average grocery basket consists of 65% branded and 35% own brand goods. In recent years, 1 in 5 (22%) think the quality of own brand products has improved or is better than they thought, and a further 17% now think that own brand products are just as good as branded products.

6 Making Complaints Section 1: General Shopping and Pricing

7 Making Complaints Shopping Around (Base: All aged – 1,000) Comparison of prices I always compare/shop around for better prices I sometimes compare/shop around for better prices I very rarely compare/shop around for better prices I never compare/shop around for better prices %%% 67% 74%71% 82% 85%

8 Making Complaints May/June ‘11 Key Influencing Factors in Determining Where to Shop % Price Strongest Influencing Factor (Base: All Aged – 1,000) Nov/Dec ‘09 Convenience Shopped there previously Service Other Don’t know %% June ‘10Nov/Dec ‘10Nov ‘11

9 Making Complaints Total Nov/Dec ‘10 % (Base: All aged – 1,000) Overall Awareness of the Price of Everyday Goods All responsible for the main grocery shop – 526 (53%) 78% aware of prices 85% Very aware of the prices (5) Fairly aware of the prices (4) Don't really know the prices (3) Not at all aware of the prices (1) Somewhat unaware of the prices (2) (27) (44) (14) (9) (6) ( ) = May/June 2011 May/June ‘11 % 93% Nov ‘11 % 74%

10 Making Complaints Section 2: Grocery Shopping

11 Making Complaints Main Reasons for Choice of Supermarket for Main Grocery Shop (Base: All responsible for main grocery shop - 526) Price Convenience Parking Late Night Opening Quality of Product Loyalty Support Local

12 Making Complaints Special Offer Seekers? (Base: All responsible for the main grocery shop – 526) Select a particular store to visit based on special offers advertised Don't buy special offers % Visit your usual store and pick up special offers while you are there May/June ‘11Nov/Dec ‘10 % Nov ‘11

13 Making Complaints Own Brand Versus Regular Brand % (Base: All main grocery shoppers – 526) Nov/Dec 2010 % June 2010 Higher amongst –Those who are not aware of the prices of everyday goods (69%). –Males (70%). –55+ (69%). Own Brand Regular Brand Own Brand Regular Brand % May/June 2011 Own Brand Regular Brand Higher amongst –Those who are not aware of the prices of everyday goods (74%). –55+ (71%). –ABC/F50+(70%). Own Brand Regular Brand % November 2011 Higher amongst –Those who are not aware of the prices of everyday goods (74%). –Males (69%). –Working full-time (68%).

14 Making Complaints Own Brand Versus Regular Brand Preference – I (Base: All responsible for grocery shop who purchase each of the products) Regular brand Own brand Regular brand Own brand Beer Tea/Coffee Breakfast Cereal Chocolate/ Sweets Baby Products YoghurtsBread Fresh MeatFrozen MeatSoft Drinks ( ) = +/-% vs May/June 2011 (+5%) (+11%)

15 Making Complaints Own Brand Versus Regular Brand Preference – II (Base: All responsible for grocery shop who purchase each of the products) Deli/Processed Meat Butter/ Spreads Toiletries Tinned/ Frozen Food Biscuits Juice Drinks Milk Household Cleaning Products Toilet Tissue/ Kitchen Towel Regular brand Own brand Regular brand Own brand ( ) = +/-% vs May/June 2011

16 Making Complaints Switched to Own Branded Products within the Past 12 Months Breakfast cereal Bread Baby products* Household cleaning products Toilet tissue/kitchen towel Toiletries Biscuits % Yes (Base: All who purchase own branded products) Milk Tea/Coffee Frozen meat Tinned/frozen food Butter/spreads Yoghurts % Yes Soft drinks Juice drinks Fresh meat Deli/processed meat Chocolate/sweets Beer* % Yes * Caution small base size

17 Making Complaints Factors Which Influence Choice for Own Brand Products – Volumetric Analysis* % Price Packaging Past Experience Advertising Don’t purchase own branded products Recommendations (Base: All main grocery shoppers – 526) Quality % Nov 2011 May/June 2011 *Volumetric Analysis is where the most influencing factors are ranked, and a score is applied according to the ranking, the level of importance is then determined by these scores. It is a standard research approach applied to ranking importance of factors.

18 Making Complaints Where Own Branded Products are Bought (Base: All that purchase own brand products - 203) % Existing Supermarket Switched supermarket Both

19 Making Complaints Change in Perceptions Towards Own Branded Products in Recent Years (Base: Responsible for the main grocery shop - 526) The quality has improved/is better than I thought No change Just as good as branded products Better value for money They have improved More of a variety available Much more positive towards branded products Have begun switching to own brand Some are ok * All other mentions 1% or less %

20 Making Complaints Research Background and Methodology

21 Making Complaints  The research was conducted by means of face-to-face interviewing with 1,000 people between the ages of  To ensure that the data is nationally representative, quotas were applied on the basis of age, gender and social class.  Interviewing was conducted over a four week period in November Research Background and Methodology Nov/Dec 2007 Aug 2008 Nov/Dec 2008 Nov/Dec 2009 June 2010 Nov/December 2010 Benchmark Wave 4Wave 5 Wave 1Wave 2 Wave 6 May/June 2011 Wave 7 May/June 2009 Wave 3 Nov 2011 Wave 8 Current Wave

22 Making Complaints Profile of Sample - I (Base: All aged – 1,000) Male Female % % % Dublin Rest of Leinster Munster Conn/ Ulster ABC1 F50+ C2DE F50- MAIN GROCERY SHOPPER YesNo

23 Making Complaints Profile of Sample – II – Main Grocery Shoppers (Base: All Mainly Responsible for Grocery Shopping in Home – 526) Male (49) Female (51) %% (17) (22) (19) (16) 55+ (26) ABC1 F50+ (48) C2DE F50- (52) ( ) = Total Sample Dublin (28) Rest of Leinster (26) Munster (28) Conn/ Ulster (18)

24 Making Complaints Profile of Sample – III – Internet Use (Base: All aged – 1,000) USE INTERNET No Yes EVER PURCHASED ONLINE No Yes BANKING ONLINE No Yes (Base: All Internet Users - 762) () = May/June 2011 (75%) (25%) (49%) (51%) (30%) (70%) Male Female % Yes Male Female % Yes Male Female % Yes

25 Making Complaints Profile of Sample – IV – Social Media Type of phone Regular users of (Base: All aged – 1,000) Higher amongst: 15-24’s 25-34’s ABC1/F50+ Working full time Students Dublin % Higher Amongst Facebook Twitter Bebo Linkedin None of These % Have a ‘Smart phone’ () = May/June 2011 Nov 2011 May/June 2011 (21) % ABC1F50 59% Dublin 55% % % C2DEF50- 56% Munster 53%