"Value" Tops Shopping Lists in the Aisles of Consumer Packaged Goods Consumption

New York, NY - Value is a top priority when purchasing consumer packaged goods products, according to findings from a study conducted by Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods. When asked what thoughts crossed their minds when making decisions to purchase food, household and personal products on their most recent grocery shopping trip, almost two-thirds (64%) of global consumers indicated value for the money.

"For consumers at large, value is foremost on their minds when shopping for consumer packaged goods products - whether it is a food, household or personal product," says Gill Aitchison, President, Ipsos Marketing, Shopper & Retail. "It is really not surprising that quality and expensiveness would be cited as major drivers in the purchase decision as well since value is, in essence, a trade-off between quality and price."

For food product purchasing decisions, global consumers were most likely to consider value and taste, with nearly two-thirds of them citing these as decision-making factors. Following value and taste, consumers were most likely to consider the quality (55%) and expensiveness (50%) of the food product and then healthy ingredients (44%).

The factors considered when making decisions to purchase household and personal products were nearly identical to those for food: nearly two-thirds of consumers considered value when making the decision to buy a household or personal product, followed by quality (54%) and expensiveness (49%). Convenience was a more important factor in household and personal product purchase decisions than in food purchase decisions (48% vs. 34%).

Of note in the study are the differences highlighted between various countries. When compared to other countries in the study, more consumers in France (81%) and Canada (79%) were likely to mention "Value" as a decision-making factor when shopping for food. In contrast, consumers in Russia (51%) and Brazil (52%) were least likely to mention "Value" as a decision-making factor.

Beyond value, the study data indicates other factors that Marketers should communicate at the point of purchase. For marketers of food products, good taste and healthy ingredients are major influencers on the consumer's in-store purchase decision. For household and personal products, it is appears that convenience is a strong persuader.

These are the findings from a study conducted by Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods via the Ipsos Global @dvisor, an online survey of citizens around the world. Interviews were carried out between October and November 2008. Approximately 1,000 interviews were carried out in each of 22 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the U.S.

Where possible, Ipsos online panels were utilized - in cases where this was not possible the survey was administered through carefully vetted partnership alliance panels.

Complimentary access to the data in this report for each of the 22 countries is available upon request from Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Allyson Leavy Director of Marketing Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods (516) 507-3515 [email protected]

Or Gill Aitchison President Ipsos Marketing, Shopping and Retail +44 208 861-8223 [email protected]

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Ipsos Marketing operates under a global structure that brings clients unequalled research expertise throughout their innovation and brand development process. Supported by specialized teams, Ipsos Marketing offers in-depth understanding of the drivers of consumer choice and of the marketing challenges faced by our clients. Our experts provide integrated qualitative and quantitative research solutions, as well as advanced modelling and forecasting techniques that include simulations and linkages to in-market data.

Ipsos Marketing is a specialization of Ipsos, a global survey-based market research company that offers expertise in advertising, customer and employee loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research. Ipsos is present in 64 countries, with a leading position in both mature and emerging markets. In 2008, it achieved global revenues of 979.3 million euros, Marketing research contributing to 48% of Ipsos' total global revenues.

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About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999.

In 2008, Ipsos generated global revenues of e979.3 million ($1.34 billion U.S.).

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