Store brands vs. manufacturer brands: Consumer perceptions and buying of chocolate bars in Finland

Abstract

Store brands have grown in popularity in virtually all countries. Despite a considerable body of research, findings on how consumers perceive and buy store brands have been rather inconclusive. While most store-brand studies have examined various grocery products, the current study focuses on confectionery, specifically chocolate bars. A survey in Finland shows that the middle aged and more educated are more store-brand prone than others, that nearly all had bought store brands, including retailers' own chocolate bars. Three buyer types of store brand buyers with differing perceptions of chocolate bars are identified and analysed: heavy users, sometimes and seldom. Some implications of the findings for retailers and manufacturers are discussed.