1. National Consumer Agency Market Research Findings:
Shopping and Pricing
November 2011
Research Conducted by

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

3. Key Findings

4. Key Findings
82% (11 percentage points) of consumers say that they shop around, the number that do not has halved from 10% to 5%
Almost 3 in 4 consumers (74%) do not compare prices in relation to doctors, hospitals and other medical providers
66% of consumers do not compare prices when purchasing from pharmacies
Over the last year there has been a significant increase in convenience as a key influencing factor in determining where to shop, up 10% percentage points to 23%, whereas price has fallen 19% points, from 72% in June 2010 to 53% currently
Over 4 in 5 (82%) check the price of products but consumers are less likely to check unit pricing with over 1 in 4 (28%) never doing so and less than 1 in 2 (47%) examining unit pricing sometimes or all the time

5. Key Findings – Grocery Shopping
4 in 5 (81%) shoppers now believe that you need to shop around in order to achieve the best value
Price remains the number one determining factor in deciding where to carry out the main grocery shop, although falling by 9% points to 63%, with convenience considered the second most important factor, increasing by 5% points to 54%
The average grocery shop now consists of 65% branded goods with the remaining 35% being own brand products.
For own brand products, 37% of main grocery shoppers are primarily concerned with the quality of the product. The second biggest influencing factor as cited by 34% is price

6. Section 1: General Shopping and Pricing

7. Shopping Around Comparison of prices (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)% % % % %
I always compare/shop around for better prices
74%
82%
71%
67%
75%
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 7

8. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – I
(Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months)
Convenience stores/ Newsagents
Restaurants, Take-Aways, Hotels
Clothing/
Footwear
Supermarkets
Pharmacies % % % % %
Online Ads
In-Store Ads
Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper
Recommendations
Leaflets received in home
Don’t compare prices 8

9. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – II
(Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months)
Doctors, Hospitals, Other Medical
Personal Care
Communication Services
Petrol Stations
Pubs % % % % %
Online Ads –
In-Store Ads
Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper
Recommendations
Leaflets received in home
Don’t compare prices 9

10. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – III
(Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months)
Banking Products & Services
Entertainment Outside the Home
Energy Suppliers
Insurance Providers
TV Service Provider % % % % %
Online Ads
In-Store Ads
Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper
Recommendations
Leaflets received in home
Don’t compare prices 10

11. (Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months)
Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – IV
(Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months)
Entertainment at Home
Local Bin Authority
Public Transport
Furniture Stores
Airlines % % % % %
Online Ads
In-Store Ads
Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper
Recommendations
Leaflets received in home
Don’t compare prices 11

12. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – V
(Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months)
Building & Related Services
Education Providers
Travel Agents
Car Dealers % % % %
Online Ads
In-Store Ads
Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper
Recommendations
Leaflets received in home
Don’t compare prices 12

13. Key Influencing Factors in Determining Where to Shop
(Base: All Aged – 1,000)
Strongest Influencing Factor
May/June ‘11
Nov/Dec ‘10
June ‘10
Nov/Dec ‘09
June ‘09 % % % % %
Price
Convenience
Shopped there previously
Service
Other
Don’t know 13

14. Incidence of Checking Prices
(Base: All aged – 1,000)
Prices of products
Unit pricing of products
Receipts
Special offers are accurately recorded on receipts % % % %
(16)
All the time
(32)
(31)
47%
(51%)
71%
(74%)
(38)
66%
(71%)
(35)
82%
(84%)
(40)
(42)
Sometimes
(25)
(46)
(15)
(15)
Very rarely
(9)
(24)
(11)
(14)
Never
(7)
() = Nov/Dec 2010 14

15. Section 2: Grocery Shopping

16. Overall Awareness of the Price of Everyday Goods
(Base: All aged – 1,000)
All responsible for the main grocery shop – 502 (50%)
Total
May/June ‘11
Nov/Dec ‘10
June ‘10 % % % %
Very aware of the prices (5)
(13)
71% aware of prices
74%
88%
85%
Fairly aware of the prices (4)
(43)
Don't really know the prices (3)
(18)
Somewhat unaware of the prices (2)
(15)
Not at all aware of the prices (1)
(11)
() = Nov/Dec 2010 16

17. Attitudes to Supermarkets
(Base: All main grocery shoppers - 502)
Disagree strongly
(1)
Disagree
(2)
Agree
(4)
Agree Strongly
(5)
Neither/Nor (3)
Mean Score 14
4.0 22
3.6 23
3.2
You need to shop around in order to achieve the best value
The supermarket that offers the best value for money changes week on week
There is one supermarket that is cheaper than all the rest
81%
65%
47% 17

18. Main Reasons for Choice of Supermarket for Main Grocery Shop
(Base: All responsible for main grocery shop - 502) % % % % % %
Price
Convenience
Parking
Late Night Opening
Quality of Product
Loyalty
Support Local 18

19. Change in Shopping Behaviour & Incidence of Online Shopping
(Base: All main grocery shoppers - 502)
Change within past 12 months
Frequency of Shopping Online for Groceries % %
Split my grocery shop across different retailers
No longer do a main shop but a number of smaller shops
Purchase more own brand products
Choose a store dependent on the offers advertised
Switched the store in which i do my main shop
Do my grocery shopping online
Purchase less items
Nothing, there has been no change
Once a week
Every 2 weeks
Every 3 weeks
Once a month
Less often
Never 19

20. Own Brand Versus Regular Brand
(Base: All main grocery shoppers – 502)
May/June 2011
Nov/Dec 2010
June 2010
Nov/Dec 2009 % % % %
Own Brand
Own Brand
Own Brand
Own Brand
Regular Brand
Regular Brand
Regular Brand
Regular Brand
Higher amongst
Those who are not aware of the prices of everyday goods (74%).
55+ (71%).
ABC/F50+(70%).
Higher amongst
Those who are not aware of the prices of everyday goods (69%).
Males (70%).
55+ (69%).

21. Own Brand Versus Regular Brand Preference – I
(Base: All responsible for grocery shop who purchase each of the products)
Baby
Products
Breakfast cereal
Chocolate/
sweets
Beer
Tea/Coffee
Regular brand
Own brand
(+5%)
Yoghurts
Bread
Fresh meat
Frozen meat
Soft drinks
Regular brand
Own brand
(+4%)
(+4%)
(+10%)
(+8%)
( ) = +/-% vs Nov/Dec 2010

22. Own Brand Versus Regular Brand Preference – II
(Base: All responsible for grocery shop who purchase each of the products)
Butter/ spreads
Deli/Processed
meat
Toiletries
Tinned/ frozen food
Biscuits
Regular brand
Own brand
(+7%)
Juice drinks
Milk
Household cleaning products
Toilet tissue/ kitchen towel
Regular brand
Own brand
( ) = +/-% vs Nov/Dec 2010

23. (Base: All main grocery shoppers – 502)
Factors Which Influence Choice for Own Brand Products – Volumetric Analysis
(Base: All main grocery shoppers – 502) %
Higher Amongst
Price
15-24 year olds (41%)
Quality
Packaging
Past Experience
Advertising
Recommendations
Don’t purchase own branded products

24. Reasons for Not Purchasing Own Brand Products within Different Sectors/Categories
(Base: All main grocery shoppers – 502) %
Higher Amongst
Happy with quality of existing product
Happy with price of existing product
Unsure of the quality of own brand equivalent
Not familiar with/Aware of own brand equivalent
Have been advised against own brand equivalent
Own brand quality not as good as branded
Full-time workers (50%) ’s (48%), ABC1/F50+ (48%), Dublin (48%).
55+ (37%)

25. (Base: All responsible for the grocery shop – 502)
Special Offer Seekers?
(Base: All responsible for the grocery shop – 502)
May/June ‘11
Nov/Dec ‘10 % %
Select a particular store to visit based on special offers advertised
Visit your usual store and pick up special offers while you are there
Don't buy special offers

26. Research Background and Methodology

27. A. Research Background and Methodology
Nov/Dec 2007
Aug 2008
Nov/Dec 2008
May/June 2009
Benchmark
Wave 1
Wave 2
Wave 3
Nov/Dec 2009
June 2010
Nov/December 2010
May/June 2011
Wave 4
Wave 5
Wave 6
Wave 7
Current Wave
The research was conducted by means of face-to-face interviewing with 1,000 people between the ages of 15-74
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 May/June 2011 27

28. B. Profile of Sample – I (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000)
MAIN GROCERY SHOPPER % % % %
15-24
Dublin
Male
ABC1
F50+
25-34
Yes No
Rest of Leinster
35-44
45-54
Munster
Female
C2DE
F50-
55+
Conn/
Ulster 28

29. B. Profile of Sample – II – Main Grocery Shoppers
(Base: All Mainly Responsible for Grocery Shopping in Home – 504) % % % %
15-24
(17)
( ) = Total Sample
Male
(49)
Dublin
(28)
25-34
(22)
ABC1
F50+
(48)
35-44
(19)
Rest of Leinster
(26)
45-54
(16)
Female
(51)
Munster
(28)
C2DE
F50-
(52)
55+
(26)
Conn/
Ulster
(18) 29

30. B. Profile of Sample – III – Internet Use
(Base: All aged – 1,000)
EVER PURCHASED ONLINE
BANKING
ONLINE
USE INTERNET
(Base: All Internet Users - 750)
(Base: All Internet Users - 750) No
(28%)
Yes No
Yes No
Yes
(30%)
(70%)
(48%)
(52%)
(72%)
% Yes
% Yes
% Yes
Male
Female
15-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
Male
Female
15-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
Male
Female
15-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55+
() = figures from Nov/Dec 2010 30