TRENDING By Lawrence Aylward
Food Safety They like them, but … WHILE LOYAL TO PRIVATE BRANDS, CONSUMERS FROM EIGHT NATIONS HAVE MIXED REACTIONS ABOUT THEIR TRUST IN SUCH PRODUCTS, ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY
n Trace One’s recent “Private Label: Different Markets, Different Needs” study of eight countries, trust and food safety emerge as two major reasons for why or why not consumers from these nations purchase private brands. Trace One, an international firm that offers various facets for store brands development, surveyed about 2,000 consumers of private brands in eight nations: the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Denmark, Italy and Canada. Overall, Trace One found that consumers’ ever-evolving needs and growing influence have forced retailers and manufacturers to adopt a consumer-centric private brands strategy to remain relevant and competitive, with trust and food safety playing vital roles. “If I had to pick out one area that surprised me or continues to surprise me, it is how much consumers really want to know where the products they are buying are coming from,” says Kelly Kell, Trace One’s North American market strategy director. “Consum-
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Store Brands / June 2018 / www.storebrands.com
ers want to be able to trust products. It’s a strong message we are getting from all countries.” According to the study, consumers from the eight nations shared both positive and negative feedback for store brands in trust and food safety. For instance, 63 percent of consumers surveyed say private brands inspire trust. However, 44 percent of consumers say they do not buy private brands because they trust national brands more. While 83 percent of survey respondents say private brand food is as equally safe as national brand food, only 23 percent say they completely trust the safety of the private brands they consume. “Trust overall is a really big halo, but how it plays out in each country is very culturally relevant,” Kell says. “Consumers [from each country] see consumer trust as a different thing.” For instance, consumers in Denmark view trust in terms of environmental sustainability, Kell notes, while U.S. consumers view trust more from an origin of ingredients standpoint.