PLMA commissioned Surveylab to conduct a comprehensive survey of Gen Z in the US. Questions homed in on Gen Zers' attitudes towards store brands, such as their awareness of the products, how often they buy them and how they compare them to national brands. Respondents were also asked to choose the best words to describe store brands and how the products reflect their own personal values and beliefs.
A detailed analysis of the survey's findings was presented at PLMA's US Private Label Trade Show in Chicago, by Dr. Sara Williamson, PhD, Assistant Professor of Marketing at SUNY Old Westbury. Her findings include a focus on the importance to Gen Z shoppers of store brand product "reliability."
"Nearly half of those in the survey said they are purchasing store brands frequently or always during regular shopping. When asked to indicate the primary reason they choose a store brand over a national brand, aside from price, the most common answers were quality expectations and previous brand experience," Williamson said.
"Combine this with the fact that Gen Z store brand purchase frequency is most strongly driven by a perception that store brands are 'reliable.' Reliability perception is a stronger store brand purchase predictor than any other measure, including household income and monthly grocery spending."
"The impact of store brand reliability is a solid indicator that the manufacturer-retailer relationship is more important than ever. To succeed with Gen Z, retailers must establish a foundation of store brand suppliers who meet their customers' quality expectations," she added.