advertising[4] assortment[22] assortment-size[1] authenticity[1] availability[1] basket-size[3] beverages[2] big-brands[2] big-small-brands[17] brand[19] brand-communication[4] brand-equity[9] brand-growth[22] brand-manufacturers[17] brand-portfolio[11] brand-sticking[1] brands[43] business-cycle[1] buyer[1] category[21] category-growth[12] category-performance[1] category-popularity[2] churn[1] clickcollect[1] consumer-choice[15] consumer-churn[2] covid-19[6] crowding[1] csr[1] customer-advocates[1] discounters[30] distribution[7] eco-actives[5] eco-friendly-behaviour[7] economic-cycle[1] emerging-markets[1] environmental-concerns[7] exclusivity[1] fmcg[86] food[1] frequency[8] gender[1] global-brands[5] grocery[2] health[1] in-store[1] in-store-behaviour[20] income[1] inflation[46] innovation[29] instore-value-share[1] launch[6] leader[2] leaders[10] lifestage[1] losing[1] losing-brands[4] loyalty[19] manufacturing[1] market-development[2] market-share[41] marketing-mix[1] national-brands[41] niche-brands[1] nutrition-claim[2] oine[1] once-is-not-enough[1] online-penetration[1] online-shopping[12] online-value-share[1] ooh[1] out-of-home[1] pack-size[12] package-information[1] packaging[7] penetration[31] personal-care[1] plastic-avoidance[3] popular-events[2] portfolio[1] pow[145] premium-brand[2] price[4] price-premia[5] price-premium[18] prices[1] pricing[12] private-label[62] private-labels[21] product-category[2] product-choice[1] product-labeling[2] promotion[10] promotions[4] purchase-frequency[19] reach[2] recycling-behaviour[4] retail[2] retailer[1] retailers[24] rising-stars[3] segmentation[1] share[15] share-growth[1] shelf[2] shopper[2] shopper-profiles[2] shopping-behaviour[7] shopping-cart[1] small-brands[1] social-media[2] sports[4] stock[1] store-choice[1] store-display[1] store-flyer[1] store-layout[1] sustainability[21] sustainable-brands[4] sustainable-consumption[9] switching-behaviour[2] trends[3] trustworthy[1] ukraine[3] umbrella-brand[1] value[7] value-growth[4] value-share[4] volume[9] volume-growth[3] volume-share[3] waste[1] wcwd[3] whocareswhodoes[19] willingness-to-pay[4] willingness-to-recommend[1] winning[1] winning-brands[3]
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Pet care least innovative

InnoIn our last blog we investigated how category penetration and purchase frequency impact the variety shoppers encounter in that category (see April 16). This time we examine whether some categories are more innovative than others (relative to their total assortment size). We analysed the number of launches in 2014 across 9 markets and up to 79 categories: Of the almost 40,000 new SKUs launched household care has the highest number of new SKUs relative to its assortment size (12% of the assortment is new), followed by food (9%). Pet care in comparison is the least innovative category group with only 7% new SKUs relative to its total assortment size. But this may change: pet humanization, treating pets like human beings, is a hot consumer trend. Beef bolognese for Buck please!

Posted by Oliver Koll on Jul 12, 2016
Posted by Oliver Koll on Jul 12, 2016
Tags:    penetration    purchase frequency    
Pricing and how it relates to winning share during Covid-19, inflation and recession

Pricing and how it relates to winning share during Covid-19, inflation and recession

  On average, winning brands have increased prices less than losers and less than Private Labels The past four years were characterized by […]

posted by: europanel
Who Cares? Who Does? – In our 300th weekly post we focus on health

Who Cares? Who Does? – In our 300th weekly post we focus on health

Some highlights from our 2024 survey of 103,000 shoppers in 36 markets   Health is a major concern for many When asked to […]

posted by: europanel
Who Cares? Who Does?

Who Cares? Who Does?

Some highlights of our global sustainability and health survey 2024   Plastic waste is one of the top environmental concerns Out of 11 […]

posted by: europanel
Our fourth entry on brand growth between 2019 and 2023

Our fourth entry on brand growth between 2019 and 2023

Momentum from growing share has become less common, especially for large brands   Long-term growth of share winners down Before the pandemic some […]

posted by: europanel
Our third entry on growth between 2019 and 2023

Our third entry on growth between 2019 and 2023

A closer look at brand performance in different category types and for different brand ranks   Where do we find the winners? We […]

posted by: europanel
Growth 2019-2023

Growth 2019-2023

Some more learnings on what distinguishes winners from losers in this high-inflation and Covid-19-impacted period   Almost all winning brands grow penetration Among […]

posted by: europanel
How much change is there anyway?

How much change is there anyway?

A look into the stability of consumer choices and brand momentum   Don’t try too hard changing shopper habits In a simplified world […]

posted by: europanel
Surprising Consumer Inferences

Surprising Consumer Inferences

What we associate with healthy positioning, private labels, and nutrition claims   Healthy Diets – Empty Wallets A recent study shows that many […]

posted by: europanel
Pack Size Learnings

Pack Size Learnings

Smaller packs may backfire – for suppliers in terms of volumes, for consumers in terms of calorie intake   Downsizing: smaller packs hurt […]

posted by: europanel
Recycling

Recycling

Why we do it, when we do it, who should do it   Inspiring consumers to recycle Do you ever think about what […]

posted by: europanel
The Power (and Peril) of High Prices

The Power (and Peril) of High Prices

The prevalence and characteristics of premium brands   The number of really cheap and rather premium National Brands is stable Both in 2019 […]

posted by: europanel
Authentic, Human, Trustworthy:

Authentic, Human, Trustworthy:

Qualities we reward in the brands we buy   Brand Authenticity: Manufacturing site matters Many brands, as they grow from local icons to […]

posted by: europanel
What happens in the store… 

What happens in the store… 

This week we look at three research studies on consumer decision-making in retailers and how to act on these findings.   Distance matters: […]

posted by: europanel
Consumers’ often imperfect reactions to marketing signals

Consumers’ often imperfect reactions to marketing signals

We all know that errors in judgement are human. Today we highlight a few scholarly contributions that investigate lack of judgement when it […]

posted by: Hampus Bornebusch
Sport events and marketing effectiveness

Sport events and marketing effectiveness

Which categories are increasing their spend most during events? Are these efforts more or less effective than in non-event times?   What categories […]

posted by: europanel
FMCG in Western Europe

FMCG in Western Europe

Easing inflation results in both a positive impact on volumes and downward pressure on value across all 3 super-categories   The past ten […]

posted by: Hampus Bornebusch
A spotlight on promotions

A spotlight on promotions

Academic learnings about their effectiveness during events and the impact of a “Promotion-Free World”   Events and promotional effectiveness What a summer: the […]

posted by: europanel
Category pack size trends and pack size differences between National Brands and Private Labels

Category pack size trends and pack size differences between National Brands and Private Labels

  How pack sizes offered and bought have changed over five years Our Europanel BG20 initiative contains data for the pack size of […]

posted by: europanel
Part 2 in our Category Share-of-Wallet (SOW) Analyses

Part 2 in our Category Share-of-Wallet (SOW) Analyses

Differences between categories capturing large vs small parts of shoppers’ budgets   Private label shares almost identical in high vs low SOW categories […]

posted by: europanel
Category share-of-wallet

Category share-of-wallet

A closer look at categories which capture large vs small budgets   Top 5 categories account for one third of spend Shoppers allocate […]

posted by: europanel
Penetration: a metric that matters

Penetration: a metric that matters

Lots of questions last week on the relevance of penetration as a growth KPI. We share some recent findings and a look back […]

posted by: europanel
Brand loyalty: what’s the impact of size and price?

Brand loyalty: what’s the impact of size and price?

Last week’s blog focused on shopping frequency and its impact on loyalty – this week we examine the impact of the brand’s share […]

posted by: europanel
Brand Loyalty: how big is it and how does it link with purchase frequency?

Brand Loyalty: how big is it and how does it link with purchase frequency?

One of the most established measures to capture brand loyalty, share-of-wallet, shows how much of their category spend the average brand buyer allocates […]

posted by: europanel
Shopping frequency among new, lost and retained category buyers

Shopping frequency among new, lost and retained category buyers

Following up last week’s analyses focusing on brand purchase frequency this week’s pick investigates the category angle   Category frequency substantially higher for […]

posted by: europanel
Shopping Frequency among New, Lost and Retained Buyers

Shopping Frequency among New, Lost and Retained Buyers

Retained Buyers of a Brand buy it about twice as often in a given year than new buyers in that year or lost […]

posted by: europanel
The Leaky Bucket for Categories

The Leaky Bucket for Categories

Following up last week’s analyses how many of its buyers brands must expect to lose from one year to the next we focus […]

posted by: europanel
How Brands are Bought: An Update of Purchasing Patterns in FMCG

How Brands are Bought: An Update of Purchasing Patterns in FMCG

Over the next few weeks we will look at a number of “established concepts” in consumer buying, starting today with the leaky bucket: […]

posted by: europanel
The recently launched report State of the Grocery Retail Europe 2024

The recently launched report State of the Grocery Retail Europe 2024

McKinsey, Eurocommerce, Europanel predicts   FMCG retailing to grow 3.5 times faster online than offline Our recently launched report THE STATE OF GROCERY […]

posted by: europanel
How launch activity has changed

How launch activity has changed

a pre/post Covid-19 comparison   More brands were active launchers in 2019 compared to 2022 The percentage of brands launching at least one […]

posted by: europanel
Brands’ launch activity, new products’ contribution to brand sales, and their price premia

Brands’ launch activity, new products’ contribution to brand sales, and their price premia

  One in two Top 10 brands was innovating in 2022 For a brand, the launch of new products can have many benefits, […]

posted by: europanel
How the past year compares to long-term trends with respect to FMCG value and volume

How the past year compares to long-term trends with respect to FMCG value and volume

Value growth in most countries remains close to record years, apart from Japan, China and US The best and worst years over the […]

posted by: europanel
How big are the biggest brands? (Part 2)

How big are the biggest brands? (Part 2)

Today we look at how a high vs a low Private Label share impacts the shares of large and small brands. In a […]

posted by: europanel
How big are the biggest brands? (Part 1)

How big are the biggest brands? (Part 1)

Today we examine differences across regions and category types.   The Top 3 brands in a category capture almost 50% of the total […]

posted by: europanel
How many new products in FMCG?

How many new products in FMCG?

  The larger the range, the more launches in a category The new product activity in a category increases with the existing assortment […]

posted by: europanel
Assortment Size Revisited.

Assortment Size Revisited.

How much to expect from a larger range?   Very similar impact across category types from assortment size variation We ran a regression […]

posted by: europanel
A Closer Look at Assortment Size.

A Closer Look at Assortment Size.

Number of SKUs, its relationship to reach, category differences and how Private Labels play assortment size.   The average Top 10 Brand in […]

posted by: europanel
Private Labels grow more than ever!

Private Labels grow more than ever!

And Discounters appeal to all sociodemographics.   Private Label growth in Western Europe strongly linked to economic conditions Looking back over the past […]

posted by: europanel
Another set of results from our yearly Who Cares Who Does survey.

Another set of results from our yearly Who Cares Who Does survey.

Focusing on shoppers‘ environmental concerns and actions: Packaging matters!   Shoppers want retailers to focus on waste reduction (packaging, product and supply chain) […]

posted by: europanel
Another result from our yearly survey on shoppers‘ environmental concerns and actions.

Another result from our yearly survey on shoppers‘ environmental concerns and actions.

And some scientific insights which categories are more (or less) suited for sustainable positioning.   Price is the greatest barrier to purchasing sustainably […]

posted by: europanel
Promotion-specific differences between frequent and infrequent categories and between large and small brands.

Promotion-specific differences between frequent and infrequent categories and between large and small brands.

Small brands’ promo dependence is much higher than for large brands.   Brands in frequently purchased categories are promoted more often The average […]

posted by: europanel
Sustainable shopping matters to many consumers.

Sustainable shopping matters to many consumers.

While some actions are at their own discretion, a majority feels governments and manufacturers should be in a prime position to limit environmental […]

posted by: europanel
1 in 3 Top 10 National Brands in a category charges more than twice the price of Private Labels.

1 in 3 Top 10 National Brands in a category charges more than twice the price of Private Labels.

These rather premium brands on average command a market share of 5% in terms of volume and 7.2 % in terms of value. […]

posted by: europanel
How successful are National Brands and Private Labels if their prices differ little vs a lot?

How successful are National Brands and Private Labels if their prices differ little vs a lot?

Economic theory would suggest that National Brands have a tougher time in categories where they are relatively more expensive than in categories where […]

posted by: europanel
With a big (non-sport) event just around the corner, let’s close this year’s Pick of the Week by looking at the effectiveness of marketing around big sports events.

With a big (non-sport) event just around the corner, let’s close this year’s Pick of the Week by looking at the effectiveness of marketing around big sports events.

We will be back early next year. Merry Christmas!   What categories advertise the most during sports events? During sporting events both the […]

posted by: europanel
Innovation matters

Innovation matters

This week we show that innovating companies are more likely to grow and that winning brands are more likely to innovate.   Launch […]

posted by: europanel
A final spotlight on changes experienced in FMCG markets during COVID, more precisely between 2019 and 2022.

A final spotlight on changes experienced in FMCG markets during COVID, more precisely between 2019 and 2022.

Today we focus on the price gap between National Brands and Private Labels.   Category Price Premia remained stable In the average category […]

posted by: europanel
The stability of brand ranks in terms of volume share over time, more precisely pre- vs post- COVID, is the focus of this week’s analyses.

The stability of brand ranks in terms of volume share over time, more precisely pre- vs post- COVID, is the focus of this week’s analyses.

How many brands’ rankings were maintained, improved or worsened?   8 out of 10 leading brands held on to their top position Out […]

posted by: europanel
For this week’s selection and also over the next couple of weeks we will review how the FMCG landscape has changed (or not) over the past three turbulent years.

For this week’s selection and also over the next couple of weeks we will review how the FMCG landscape has changed (or not) over the past three turbulent years.

We start with market structure.   Almost 40% of FMCG volume in Europe from Private Labels The FMCG market shows quite a distinct […]

posted by: europanel
One more set of insights focusing on how price (changes) impacts choice.

One more set of insights focusing on how price (changes) impacts choice.

All from scientific learnings across our network of marketing academics.   Why different price threshold patterns exist We showed last week that price […]

posted by: europanel
FMCG value development in Western Europe has been turbulent in recent years

FMCG value development in Western Europe has been turbulent in recent years

Strong volume gains during the pandemic, followed by downtrading on price and volume because of high inflation levels   Volume and Value changes […]

posted by: europanel
We celebrate the 5th anniversary of our global Who Cares, Who Does Sustainability Study.

We celebrate the 5th anniversary of our global Who Cares, Who Does Sustainability Study.

In this weeks edition we look at another top headline from the recently launched WCWD 2023 report.   Price is the greatest barrier […]

posted by: europanel
A closer look at new products

A closer look at new products

category variations in brands’ contribution to new product activity, launch price premia relative to their parent brand and the distribution they can expect […]

posted by: europanel
For the next few weeks our focus will be innovation – with some recent FMCG developments and Who Cares Who Does findings sprinkled in.

For the next few weeks our focus will be innovation – with some recent FMCG developments and Who Cares Who Does findings sprinkled in.

Based on a very large number of launches we shed some light on a category’s role in launch activity, the importance of the […]

posted by: europanel
We celebrate the 5th anniversary of our global Who Cares, Who Does Sustainability Study.

We celebrate the 5th anniversary of our global Who Cares, Who Does Sustainability Study.

This edition of Pick of the Week looks at top headlines from the recently launched WCWD 2023 report.   Eco-Actives make up 1 […]

posted by: europanel
Unusually high inflation has increased the importance of price in consumers’ decision-making.

Unusually high inflation has increased the importance of price in consumers’ decision-making.

This edition of Pick of the Week looks at the relative prices charged by brands in comparison to Private Labels in their category. […]

posted by: europanel
Another week with a renewed focus on Private Label (PL) Growth in Europe (the most developed region in terms of PL offerings).

Another week with a renewed focus on Private Label (PL) Growth in Europe (the most developed region in terms of PL offerings).

Is total category expenditure linked to PL success? How is PL success related to the price premium of brands vs PL? Is growth […]

posted by: europanel
This week we are taking a look at category buyer churn. There are three questions that we aim to shed light on.

This week we are taking a look at category buyer churn. There are three questions that we aim to shed light on.

How many buyers does a category lose and does this differ between “mega-categories”? Does the size of the category affect the churn rate? […]

posted by: europanel
This week we are looking at innovations (quantity, shares and type) across key Western European markets.

This week we are looking at innovations (quantity, shares and type) across key Western European markets.

How many innovations enter the market, and how truly innovative are they? How much do brands rely on the sales of their innovations? […]

posted by: europanel
Brands must expect a certain number of their buyers in a given period to not buy the brand in the following period. Typically these lost buyers tend to be replaced by buyers that did not buy the brand in the previous period.

Brands must expect a certain number of their buyers in a given period to not buy the brand in the following period. Typically these lost buyers tend to be replaced by buyers that did not buy the brand in the previous period.

This Pick of The Week looks at the number of buyers that stop buying a brand or the category from one year to […]

posted by: europanel
Being a dominant brand today is a good predictor of still being dominant five years later – but no guarantee.

Being a dominant brand today is a good predictor of still being dominant five years later – but no guarantee.

Today we look at the performance of leading brands between 2016 and 2021, but also at the likelihood of non-leading brands to climb […]

posted by: europanel
How does shopper purchase frequency of brands stack up against their purchase frequency of categories?

How does shopper purchase frequency of brands stack up against their purchase frequency of categories?

And how much does frequency differ between brands that vary in terms of penetration?   The average category in our BG20 database is […]

posted by: europanel
Comparing winning and losing brands for the period of 2018 to 2021

Comparing winning and losing brands for the period of 2018 to 2021

For many years we have been looking at behavioural metrics which distinguish winning and losing brands. This week’s edition confirms that the patterns […]

posted by: europanel
Focus on innovation survival rates

Focus on innovation survival rates

While companies launching new products may have unrealistic expectations hoping these launches stay on the market forever, anecdotal stories reporting that a majority […]

posted by: europanel
This week we are turning our attention back to innovations: new product launches are much more frequent in categories with high levels of penetration and high purchasing frequency.

This week we are turning our attention back to innovations: new product launches are much more frequent in categories with high levels of penetration and high purchasing frequency.

Launches that are truly different from existing category offerings are more likely to be branded than your average launch.   The number of […]

posted by: europanel
Last week we showed that the price gap between National Brands and PLs is more pronounced in Discounters than Supermarkets. This is driven by substantially lower priced PL offerings in Discounters.

Last week we showed that the price gap between National Brands and PLs is more pronounced in Discounters than Supermarkets. This is driven by substantially lower priced PL offerings in Discounters.

When thinking about playing in the discount channel certain brand characteristics contribute to the likely success of these introductions for both the manufacturer […]

posted by: europanel
How national brands (NB) are priced relative to Private Labels (PL) in a category is a key factor in determining the relative value of either offering: Excessive NB pricing will push shoppers to PL (a move which we know is difficult to reverse), while too small a price difference may undermine the equity of a brand and reduce margins required for maintaining this equity.

How national brands (NB) are priced relative to Private Labels (PL) in a category is a key factor in determining the relative value of either offering: Excessive NB pricing will push shoppers to PL (a move which we know is difficult to reverse), while too small a price difference may undermine the equity of a brand and reduce margins required for maintaining this equity.

In today’s Pick of the Week we examine this price distance across 100s of categories for the top retailers in a Western European […]

posted by: europanel
Volume growth is hard to come by in Western Europe. Over 4 years more than half of all categories experience a decline, with even more categories shrinking over the past year. More (vs 4 years ago)/less (vs last year) work from home shows its impact.

Volume growth is hard to come by in Western Europe. Over 4 years more than half of all categories experience a decline, with even more categories shrinking over the past year. More (vs 4 years ago)/less (vs last year) work from home shows its impact.

But the financial uncertainty and inflation will also cause more deliberate choices.   Half of all categories lost volume versus pre-pandemic Q1 (2019) […]

posted by: europanel
Discounters are growing, but not only for the reasons you may expect. Value shares are up more than volume shares because prices in Discounters increase more than elsewhere (and they open more stores).

Discounters are growing, but not only for the reasons you may expect. Value shares are up more than volume shares because prices in Discounters increase more than elsewhere (and they open more stores).

We do not see a link between Discounter growth in a category and that category’s price path.   Discounter shares are growing – […]

posted by: europanel
This 226th edition of Pick of the Week will be my last because after many years in the business and at Europanel, I am retiring. Future editions will be in the very capable and insightful hands of Oliver Koll and Filippos Kaliakatsos. Many thanks to you all for reading and responding to Pick of the Week!

This 226th edition of Pick of the Week will be my last because after many years in the business and at Europanel, I am retiring. Future editions will be in the very capable and insightful hands of Oliver Koll and Filippos Kaliakatsos. Many thanks to you all for reading and responding to Pick of the Week!

My final contribution is on Private Label and the complex drivers of it’s current growth path influenced by much higher than average price […]

posted by: europanel
Although inflation is driving strong FMCG values, we are now seeing weakness in volumes for the first time in Western Europe since the pandemic.

Although inflation is driving strong FMCG values, we are now seeing weakness in volumes for the first time in Western Europe since the pandemic.

more than half of the product categories are in decline vs Q1 2019.   FMCG values are growing significantly but only due to […]

posted by: europanel
Even if basket size and shopping frequency are not behind current Discounter share growth, the channel is still increasing in importance and is one in which brands should try and play.

Even if basket size and shopping frequency are not behind current Discounter share growth, the channel is still increasing in importance and is one in which brands should try and play.

But how and with which brands?   Shopping frequency in Discounters in Western Europe is increasing but only marginally As shopping frequency returns […]

posted by: europanel
Discounter value shares are back on a growth path driven by increased store numbers and higher than average price increases.

Discounter value shares are back on a growth path driven by increased store numbers and higher than average price increases.

But how is this reflected in numbers of shoppers and what they are buying?   Discounters in Western Europe are increasing their shopper […]

posted by: europanel
The online channel for FMCG continues to become more ‘mainstream’ in terms of shopper behaviour and it is a strong channel for brands.

The online channel for FMCG continues to become more ‘mainstream’ in terms of shopper behaviour and it is a strong channel for brands.

An important long run consideration bearing in mind the current down-trading.   Online share of shopping trips continues to increase in the long […]

posted by: europanel
Retailer Category Shares Vary A Lot

Retailer Category Shares Vary A Lot

Key to understand where there is more or less room for growth A common metric to evaluate a retailer’s category performance is fair […]

posted by: Anna Reinbold
How category PL shares have fared in the past ten years

How category PL shares have fared in the past ten years

In one third of all categories, brands have recaptured share In the long run private label (PL) has shown fairly consistent growth, which […]

posted by: Anna Reinbold
Components of Retailer Category Share

Components of Retailer Category Share

Reach matters more than frequency and spend per occasion Over the past several years we have frequently shown the well-established relationship between a […]

posted by: Anna Reinbold
Whatever the reasons (Discounters or above average price rises) behind current Private Label growth, the fact is that shoppers are getting a wider experience of these products.

Whatever the reasons (Discounters or above average price rises) behind current Private Label growth, the fact is that shoppers are getting a wider experience of these products.

Brands must continue to invest to counter the threat but driving this agenda has pitfalls for retailers.   Private Label is growing again […]

posted by: europanel
The main Food and Beverage ‘super-categories’ continue to perform well compared with pre-pandemic – and those that are increasing volumes are driven by attracting more buyers.

The main Food and Beverage ‘super-categories’ continue to perform well compared with pre-pandemic – and those that are increasing volumes are driven by attracting more buyers.

The rules of growth remain true over this Covid and Inflationary period.   A wide range of categories in 2022 were well ahead […]

posted by: europanel
This week we update the grocery market trends in Ukraine. Our GfK colleagues there continue to resist and maintain operations in agreement with panel members.

This week we update the grocery market trends in Ukraine. Our GfK colleagues there continue to resist and maintain operations in agreement with panel members.

We can now share the latest trends up to the end of 2022. Our best wishes continue to go out to our team, […]

posted by: europanel
Hero SKUs – Where are they?

Hero SKUs – Where are they?

Large food and beverage brands own the biggest SKUs High share brands own more SKUs than low share brands and these on average […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Bigger Brands – Bigger SKUs

Bigger Brands – Bigger SKUs

SKU numbers alone do not explain brand size Growing your brand is a never-ending quest for marketers. Increasing the size of your assortment […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Triggering the First Moment of Truth

Triggering the First Moment of Truth

Broad Visual Processing Increases Unplanned Spending The typical supermarket offers 10,000 or more different SKUs – with less than 1 in 1,000 products […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
As discussed in last week’s edition, Number 1 brands are not immune to long term decline irrespective of the economic situation.

As discussed in last week’s edition, Number 1 brands are not immune to long term decline irrespective of the economic situation.

But why and how difficult is it to recover?   Many brands gain or lose category leadership and it’s not easy to recover […]

posted by: europanel
What happens next, after this period of inflation?

What happens next, after this period of inflation?

What happens next, after this period of inflation? Looking first at big brands, they are not immune to periods of uncertainty. And importantly, […]

posted by: europanel
Whilst inflation is having an impact on specific category purchasing

Whilst inflation is having an impact on specific category purchasing

Moves to Private Label and Discounters are more general and are not focused on particular products   Category volumes are declining most where […]

posted by: europanel
How is inflation impacting specific category choices?

How is inflation impacting specific category choices?

how much to buy, which products and in which retailers?   Price Inflation by category is impacting the volumes bought. Although the current […]

posted by: europanel
To start the New Year we look at how Discounters and Private Labels are developing across Europe

To start the New Year we look at how Discounters and Private Labels are developing across Europe

And the reasons why – especially the levels of category inflation.   Discounters are growing share but due to store numbers and price […]

posted by: europanel
How is inflation affecting the take-home Grocery market?

How is inflation affecting the take-home Grocery market?

Are shopper choices changing in terms of store and product? And if so, why?   Despite inflation FMCG volumes remain very resilient. The […]

posted by: europanel
Last week, we looked at the wide variation in inflation experienced by different households

Last week, we looked at the wide variation in inflation experienced by different households

Which households are impacted most? What is the effect of the categories and products in their basket?   Lower income groups are much […]

posted by: europanel
Brand equity and business cycles

Brand equity and business cycles

Business cycle fluctuations may affect different brands differently: Some brands may be able to ride the wave of expansionary periods while others may […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Cyclical innovation by brands

Cyclical innovation by brands

In our latest blogs we examined how category innovation developed during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, we saw category innovation declining. This blog […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
NB innovation and market share

NB innovation and market share

With new product activity down, does this behavior impact market share and penetration? We differentiate NBs by innovation activity in the following way: […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The impact of inflation varies enormously between different households – some experience deflation whilst others see huge increases.

The impact of inflation varies enormously between different households – some experience deflation whilst others see huge increases.

This is always the case but is worse in the current high inflationary times. How does this affect your brands?   There is […]

posted by: europanel
This week we concentrate on the grocery market in Ukraine

This week we concentrate on the grocery market in Ukraine

Our GfK colleagues there have been resisting and continuing operations in agreement with panel members. We can now share the latest trends covering […]

posted by: europanel
This week’s edition is the 200th Pick of the Week!

This week’s edition is the 200th Pick of the Week!

I have chosen three highlights – the value of our BG20 datasets in understanding growth through thousands of brands; the importance of long […]

posted by: europanel
Despite the importance of the environment to a large number of shoppers, barriers mean that many are unable to buy sustainably.

Despite the importance of the environment to a large number of shoppers, barriers mean that many are unable to buy sustainably.

This remains a huge opportunity for brands.   A huge value gap remains between those who want to buy sustainably and those that […]

posted by: europanel
Last week’s Pick of the Week showed the huge importance of the most environmentally aware Eco-Actives segment.

Last week’s Pick of the Week showed the huge importance of the most environmentally aware Eco-Actives segment.

The views of this group on sustainability are all encompassing and it is important to recognise this in brand communication and action.   […]

posted by: europanel
Naturally all the current headlines and discussion are about inflation.

Naturally all the current headlines and discussion are about inflation.

But what does this mean for the environmental agenda? Our latest #WhoCaresWhoDoes 2022 study shows the continuing importance of sustainability.   Interest in […]

posted by: europanel
Grocery price inflation is a hot topic but how is this playing out at category level?

Grocery price inflation is a hot topic but how is this playing out at category level?

And are price rises by category consistent across the different players?   Inflation is leading to a huge range of differing price changes […]

posted by: europanel
Biceps or triceps?

Biceps or triceps?

We assume that retailers don’t want shopping carts to reduce spending?! But their design does not help: Pushing a shopping cart with a […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Category Innovation Down

Category Innovation Down

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues many households have changed their shopping behavior to cope with the situation. We already showed that shoppers shop […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Private Labels increase their share of innovations

Private Labels increase their share of innovations

In our previous blog we showed a large drop in innovation activity at the category level at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
How are product categories faring in this period of high inflation?

How are product categories faring in this period of high inflation?

Although values compared with 2021 do not reflect the rises in price, long term trends remain strong.   Whilst current beverages value trends […]

posted by: europanel
How are the current inflationary pressures Impacting the global grocery market?

How are the current inflationary pressures Impacting the global grocery market?

And how are the online and Discounter developments impacted channel trends in Europe?   Global FMCG value will increase by at least 5% […]

posted by: europanel
During the pandemic, shopping frequency fell and basket size increased.

During the pandemic, shopping frequency fell and basket size increased.

Is this still the case and how have Discounters and Private Labels developed in the wider European context?   The second quarter of […]

posted by: europanel
Over the pandemic and lockdowns, the online channel market share increased significantly.

Over the pandemic and lockdowns, the online channel market share increased significantly.

Whilst this has now stabilised or even started to fall back, there are many questions about its effect on shopper behaviour.   Online […]

posted by: europanel
Following last week’s edition, there have been a number of questions about Discounter and Private Label price rises.

Following last week’s edition, there have been a number of questions about Discounter and Private Label price rises.

How have absolute prices risen and what is the impact on volume share changes this year?   Increase in absolute prices paid is […]

posted by: europanel
There has been a lot of commentary recently that inflation is leading to people cutting back and buying cheaper products in FMCG. The evidence is that this is not the case.

There has been a lot of commentary recently that inflation is leading to people cutting back and buying cheaper products in FMCG. The evidence is that this is not the case.

In fact more “normal service” is being resumed after the last 2 years – as shown in last week’s edition on overall purchasing. […]

posted by: europanel
FMCG for the first half of 2022 shows the expected declines and increased prices

FMCG for the first half of 2022 shows the expected declines and increased prices

BUT the declines compare with record market levels in the last two years and are also linked to less working from home than […]

posted by: europanel
The importance of getting as many buyers as possible

The importance of getting as many buyers as possible

Last week’s edition analysed what drives successful new products, based on 60000 new products in 3 countries. This week we look at the […]

posted by: europanel
New products and the relative importance of trial and repeat

New products and the relative importance of trial and repeat

Recently there have been a number of questions about new products and especially the relative importance of trial and repeat. Analysis across 3 […]

posted by: europanel
More on the longer term implications of inflation and economic downturn

More on the longer term implications of inflation and economic downturn

How do we now see the FMCG market developing? How does shopper choice change? And how can manufacturer brands counter these changes?   […]

posted by: europanel
What are the longer term implications of inflation and economic downturn for prices, for Manufacturer Brands and Private Label?

What are the longer term implications of inflation and economic downturn for prices, for Manufacturer Brands and Private Label?

What are the longer term implications of inflation and economic downturn for prices, for Manufacturer Brands and Private Label?   After a recession […]

posted by: europanel
How do discounters grow in times of uncertainty, in ‘normal’ times and in 2022 so far?

How do discounters grow in times of uncertainty, in ‘normal’ times and in 2022 so far?

How do discounters grow in times of uncertainty, in ‘normal’ times and in 2022 so far? This varies by type of category by […]

posted by: europanel
What are the effects of inflation so far?

What are the effects of inflation so far?

What are the effects of inflation so far? Where is Private Label growing? Which categories are suffering the biggest price rises? How is […]

posted by: europanel
‘Just below’ pricing can backfire

‘Just below’ pricing can backfire

When shopping we often encounter prices just below an even number: A latte for $2.95, a pair of jeans for $89.99 or a […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The importance of distribution – revisited

The importance of distribution – revisited

We have shown previously that high levels of distribution are necessary (yet not sufficient) to reach high penetration. In this blog we assess […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The importance of gaining distribution

The importance of gaining distribution

While the previous blog shows the link between availability and success, this entry examines the impact of a change in availability. For almost […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand growth during a financial downturn

Brand growth during a financial downturn

Following the last period of inflation and financial downturn, manufacturers were concerned about a lack of volume growth. However, our ‘Hot or Not’ […]

posted by: europanel
Financial uncertainty and value/volume growth

Financial uncertainty and value/volume growth

In 2014, FMCG companies were concerned that the recent period of financial uncertainty had led to a lack of volume growth in developed […]

posted by: europanel
Online shares and shopping behaviour

Online shares and shopping behaviour

Online shares and shopping behaviour changed significantly due to the pandemic – has 2022 brought any changes? And also, following a question this […]

posted by: europanel
Inflation and Q1 2022

Inflation and Q1 2022

Inflation – what has been the impact in Quarter 1 2022 on the FMCG market, product and store choice in Western Europe? The […]

posted by: europanel
Inflation and innovation

Inflation and innovation

This week we look at what we can learn about new product activity from previous periods of inflation and economic downturn. Competitiveness remains […]

posted by: europanel
Inflation and pack size

Inflation and pack size

There have been a number of questions on this recently and here are 3 articles looking at the dangers and impacts of smaller […]

posted by: europanel
Shopping behavior & turbulence

Shopping behavior & turbulence

Households frequently experience changing financial conditions because of shifts in personal and economic circumstances. For example, the main breadwinner receives an increase in […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand Price Premia and Private Label Success

Brand Price Premia and Private Label Success

Private labels usually benefit from worsening economic conditions because these put (actual or perceived) pressure on consumers‘ budgets. Buying more Private Labels, which […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Changes in Brand Price Premia

Changes in Brand Price Premia

Changes in the price premium of National Brands versus Private Labels can result from various trends. For example, NBs increasing prices more (or […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Discounters and inflation…

Discounters and inflation…

…Several questions recently have asked about my conclusion that inflation doesn’t seem to drive changes in store choice! Here I examine a number […]

posted by: europanel
Inflation and promotions…

Inflation and promotions…

…Has there been any acceleration of promotional tactics in periods of higher inflation? The answer seems to be no!   Promotions were increasing […]

posted by: europanel
Net impact of inflation on Private Labels and Brands

Net impact of inflation on Private Labels and Brands

Whilst inflation impacts both Brands and Private Labels, the net effect on price development and relationships can be quite different Food price inflation […]

posted by: europanel
Inflation and prices paid – what happens, when and how to manage

Inflation and prices paid – what happens, when and how to manage

Food price inflation leads to down-trading when prices rise and up-trading when inflation falls As prices rise, shoppers look to contain their spend […]

posted by: europanel
Out of home versus in-home

Out of home versus in-home

How have they performed and how will inflation affect the relationship this year? Out of home consumption recovered well in 2021 but was […]

posted by: europanel
How we can learn about brand growth in times of high inflation

How we can learn about brand growth in times of high inflation

Inflation and brands. What can we learn about brand growth in times of high inflation? During periods of high inflation the rules of […]

posted by: europanel
Category effects

Category effects

Over the past few weeks we have looked at inflation and impacts for product choice, store choice, total market and country. This week […]

posted by: europanel
How inflation affects the regional and country FMCG markets

How inflation affects the regional and country FMCG markets

This week we continue to look at the effect of inflation on the total FMCG market – this week homing in on regional […]

posted by: europanel
Stable context – higher repurchasing

Stable context – higher repurchasing

The most basic manifestation of brand loyalty is repurchasing – making the same choice on the next category occasion. A study in the […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Stable price gap between NBs and PLs

Stable price gap between NBs and PLs

Strong brands can benefit from higher reach and higher willingness-to-pay. The previous blog entry reports the (modest) gains PL has made in terms […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Food categories show strongest PL growth

Food categories show strongest PL growth

The early 2000s saw staggering Private Label (PL) growth rates in many categories, sometimes showing market share gains of 1% per year. Back […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
How inflation affects the total market

How inflation affects the total market

Inflation. In the last couple of weeks we have looked at the impact on product and store choice. This week we turn to […]

posted by: europanel
How will price inflation impact Discounters

How will price inflation impact Discounters

Many things change during a periods of high inflation. Last week we learnt about Private Label share and this week we cover Discounters. […]

posted by: europanel
How will price inflation impact shopper choice

How will price inflation impact shopper choice

Last week we looked at the dynamics of Private Label and how that differs by country relative to brand investment. But how will […]

posted by: europanel
Private label

Private label

Following up on some of the investment points in the New Year’s Resolutions and also with an eye on the potential inflation issues, […]

posted by: europanel
Unchanged rules of growth

Unchanged rules of growth

This week we continue to look at some of the issues raised in our recent New Year’s resolutions – the unchanged rules of […]

posted by: europanel
2022 Market growth forecast

2022 Market growth forecast

Our first Pick of the Week this year looks at some of the issues raised in our recent New Year’s resolutions – market […]

posted by: europanel
How has the pandemic effected shopping behaviours around the world

How has the pandemic effected shopping behaviours around the world

The pandemic has led to different effects on FMCG product category shopping behaviour around the world. In Western Europe/USA more categories are being […]

posted by: europanel
How FMCG market remains strong compared with long term norms

How FMCG market remains strong compared with long term norms

The FMCG market globally and especially in Western Europe remains strong compared with long term norms – and the return of more Covid […]

posted by: europanel
The issue of wish-cycling

The issue of wish-cycling

Recycling becoming wish-cycling is an increasing issue because many consumers, even the Eco-Actives, are unclear on what can be recycled and which packaging […]

posted by: europanel
Who rules the portfolio animal kingdom?

Who rules the portfolio animal kingdom?

Brand portfolios come in many shapes and sizes. To try and provide some structure we have distinguished between five types of players competing […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Portfolio buyer overlap smaller than expected

Portfolio buyer overlap smaller than expected

Many manufacturers compete with more than one brand in a category hoping to be able to reach buyers that they could not reach […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Female > Male

Female > Male

What do Ikea, Nestlé, Tiffany, Burberry, L’Oreal or Adidas have in common? They all share linguistically feminine names according to a recent study. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
#WhoCaresWhoDoes

#WhoCaresWhoDoes

A couple of weeks ago we showed that less than 50% of shoppers could name a brand with genuine concern for the environment. Our […]

posted by: europanel
Private Label increase

Private Label increase

Recently there have been many questions relating to shopping behaviour when inflation is high. Private Label increased sharply during the ‘credit crunch’ recession […]

posted by: europanel
Which brands and manufactures show genuine concern

Which brands and manufactures show genuine concern

Many shoppers look to manufacturers to help limit environmental damage but less than half can name a brand that shows genuine concern – […]

posted by: europanel
Climate change and its importance to shoppers

Climate change and its importance to shoppers

With the recent news dominated by COP26, we concentrate on the importance of Climate Change to shoppers and that many of them see […]

posted by: europanel
Sustainability sells! Really?

Sustainability sells! Really?

New product failure is a common companion for brand manufacturers. Some of these newcomers are labeled as sustainable which could either add to […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand portfolios & brand growth

Brand portfolios & brand growth

7 in 10 brand portfolios have not changed their size between 2014 and 2019. Of the remainder, about the same number have added […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
More brands – higher share

More brands – higher share

Most manufacturers compete with just one brand in a category, but 1 in 3 sell multiple brands. Offering a portfolio can stem from […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
What are the disadvantages of appealing to Eco-Actives

What are the disadvantages of appealing to Eco-Actives

Last week we considered the potential downsides for categories and brands as sustainable choices increase. This week we look at the upsides of […]

posted by: europanel
Getting it wrong with Eco-Actives will be costly

Getting it wrong with Eco-Actives will be costly

The new #WhoCaresWhoDoes study shows the risk for categories and brands as this group grows and their purchasing becomes more important. Also this week, […]

posted by: europanel
What is the value-action gap between brands that want to be more sustainable and the ones that already are

What is the value-action gap between brands that want to be more sustainable and the ones that already are

Continuing the main insights from the new 2021 #WhoCaresWhoDoes study, this week we focus on a huge $800+ billion opportunity for brands. This […]

posted by: europanel
Shoppers have clear intentions to be sustainable

Shoppers have clear intentions to be sustainable

COP26 is coming up in a few weeks time and climate change will again feature highly in the news. Our latest #WhoCaresWhoDoes 2021 […]

posted by: europanel
Sustainability is an even more important influence on shoppers

Sustainability is an even more important influence on shoppers

Our latest #WhoCaresWhoDoes 2021 study shows that sustainability is an even more important influence on shoppers and that there is yet another increase […]

posted by: europanel
Price thresholds and latest FMCG Volume Trends

Price thresholds and latest FMCG Volume Trends

This week we build on the insights related to price thresholds – in what circumstances the different patterns occur and secondly at what […]

posted by: europanel
Price thresholds and latest discounters trends

Price thresholds and latest discounters trends

Recently we have received a number of questions about pricing. So the first 2 topics this and next week look at Price Thresholds […]

posted by: europanel
How manufacturers with a single category brand have expanded their portfolios

How manufacturers with a single category brand have expanded their portfolios

Our first two articles look at brand portfolios: manufacturers with a single category brand are increasingly building multi-brand portfolios and this type of […]

posted by: europanel
Who are the category leaders?

Who are the category leaders?

Changing our usual perspective, this article focuses on the largest manufacturers in 839 categories across 10 countries in 2019. We also treat a […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Sustainability isn’t just “green”

Sustainability isn’t just “green”

The discourse around the climate crisis has been hitting new peaks – likely a result of more natural disasters (e.g., flooding, wildfire, storms) […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Retailer presence versus penetration

Retailer presence versus penetration

In our last newsletter, we covered how listings at the top 10 retailers impact market share and penetration. This time, we look at […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand Portfolios

Brand Portfolios

Brand Portfolios come in many forms – single brands dominate but over 40% are multi-brand of differing typologies. This week, we also look […]

posted by: europanel
How individual brands penetration relate to portfolio market share

How individual brands penetration relate to portfolio market share

In manufacturer brand portfolios, how do the penetrations of the individual brands relate to portfolio market share and does buyer overlap matter? And […]

posted by: europanel
Manufacturer brand portfolios – what increases buyer overlap across brands?

Manufacturer brand portfolios – what increases buyer overlap across brands?

Manufacturer brand portfolios: firstly, apart from brand size and category frequency, which other factors increase buyer overlap across the brands; secondly, the average […]

posted by: europanel
Manufacturer brand portfolios dynamics

Manufacturer brand portfolios dynamics

The dynamics of manufacturer brand portfolios are not as supposed – small brands in the portfolio are not especially premium priced and buyer […]

posted by: europanel
Biggest brands dominate manufacturer brand portfolios

Biggest brands dominate manufacturer brand portfolios

Manufacturer brand portfolios within a category are dominated by the biggest brand and it is this brand that leads portfolio growth – but […]

posted by: europanel
Manufacturer brand portfolios and FMCG market predictions

Manufacturer brand portfolios and FMCG market predictions

Manufacturer brand portfolios: this week we summarise the number and size of portfolios and then look at how each additional brand develops manufacturer […]

posted by: europanel
Manufacturer brand portfolios

Manufacturer brand portfolios

This week we begin a new focus area – manufacturer brand portfolios – here looking at the relationship with category buying frequency. The […]

posted by: europanel
Retailer presence & market share

Retailer presence & market share

In FMCG, brands largely still rely on retailers to find their way into the baskets of shoppers. To understand the relationship between the […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Outstanding displays boost sales

Outstanding displays boost sales

Store displays represent a strategic touchpoint for brand manufacturers and retailers alike. Brands regularly come up with innovative and unusual ideas to promote […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Listings affect buyer overlap

Listings affect buyer overlap

The degree to which brands share their buyers roughly follows the Duplication of Purchase law (see Andrew Ehrenberg’ seminal book Repeat Buying). The […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Retailer size and loyalty

Retailer size and loyalty

Retailer size and share are determined by the number of shoppers – whilst frequency and loyalty follow, the variation across retailers is much […]

posted by: europanel
Innovation and promotions vs. growth in retailers

Innovation and promotions vs. growth in retailers

This week – innovation and promotions vs. growth in retailers: new product introductions are a key driver; but more promotions are not! Also, […]

posted by: europanel
How the same rules and drivers of growth apply to retailers as for manufacturer brands

How the same rules and drivers of growth apply to retailers as for manufacturer brands

Our first article continues the theme that the same rules and drivers of growth apply to retailers as for manufacturer brands – this […]

posted by: europanel
Light shoppers

Light shoppers

Even the biggest retailers have many light shoppers – more than one third of their shoppers buy no more than 5 times a […]

posted by: europanel
Retailers growth

Retailers growth

Retailers follow the same rules of growth as brands – the over-riding importance of buyers to growth and decline – and the ‘leaky […]

posted by: europanel
Private Label growth and trade channel development

Private Label growth and trade channel development

Although Private Label did not gain share in several Western European countries last year, it is growing in many other countries – hence […]

posted by: europanel
Private Label growth: where and how to counter it

Private Label growth: where and how to counter it

This week we turn to retail as a topic initially looking at Private Label growth, where and how to counter it. We also […]

posted by: europanel
Category Frequency and Portfolio Size

Category Frequency and Portfolio Size

As shown in past blog entries, category purchase frequency affects, for example, loyalty, shoppers lost and gained from one period to the next […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Private Label (PLs) often leads the innovation race

Private Label (PLs) often leads the innovation race

Launching attractive innovations is an important way to stay relevant in most industries. National brands are typically perceived as setting the pace in […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Ugly but honest

Ugly but honest

Fresh food often falls short of the aesthetic expectations of consumers. Shoppers consider “ugly” food as less tasty and also as less healthy […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
New products at times of economic hardship

New products at times of economic hardship

Continuing our theme of new products at times of economic hardship, we look at how true innovations significantly outperform minor innovations at such […]

posted by: europanel
The importance of innovation

The importance of innovation

With tough times likely post Covid-19, we look at the importance of innovation and how volume share increases translate into added value over […]

posted by: europanel
How to drive new product to success

How to drive new product to success

What drives new product success and which competitors is it most likely to impact? These are first two topics. Our third subject this […]

posted by: europanel
The importance between innovation success and the leading retailers

The importance between innovation success and the leading retailers

This week we look at the very important link between innovation success and the leading retailers – in terms of trial and longevity. […]

posted by: europanel
Innovation performance

Innovation performance

Many studies on new products show that true innovations perform the best in themselves and towards the overall business. This study highlights a […]

posted by: europanel
Innovation and online FMCG growth

Innovation and online FMCG growth

This week we have two topics on innovation – the importance of new products having a net contribution to range and that new […]

posted by: europanel
How behaviour changes due to the pandemic will continue in the ‘new normal’

How behaviour changes due to the pandemic will continue in the ‘new normal’

I have received a number of questions recently about how behaviour changes due to the pandemic will continue in the ‘new normal’ and […]

posted by: europanel
How much competitive clutter does a new product have to cut through?

How much competitive clutter does a new product have to cut through?

This week we continue with our new product theme looking at the amount of competitive clutter that a new product has to cut […]

posted by: europanel
Innovation in different countries

Innovation in different countries

This week we continue our theme of innovation looking at how innovativeness differs by country. We also develop last week’s Discounter listings topic […]

posted by: europanel
Product trial rates by country and Discounter insights

Product trial rates by country and Discounter insights

This week we continue our theme of innovation by looking at new product trial rates by country. But first there are some insights […]

posted by: europanel
Does size matter for brand portfolios?

Does size matter for brand portfolios?

Manufacturers rely on one or more brands in their efforts to capture and grow their share of the category pie. How the number […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Does the category determine Private Label success?

Does the category determine Private Label success?

Private Labels (PL) have become a dominant part of the market in some categories but are still tiny in others. If specific characteristics […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
What you see is what you buy

What you see is what you buy

Walk in for a pack of milk only and leave the store with lots of other things. Visual focus explains why such unplanned […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand strategy and performance of true innovations

Brand strategy and performance of true innovations

This week, following a question about brand strategy, we look at the importance of recognising that brands lose a significant number of buyers […]

posted by: europanel
How are eco-active profiles growing more than others?

How are eco-active profiles growing more than others?

This week we firstly look at how brands with an eco-active profile are growing more than others; secondly setting the scene for a […]

posted by: europanel
Brands and their eco profile

Brands and their eco profile

This week we continue our theme on brands and their eco profile, showing that many big brands perform well with environmentally aware shoppers; […]

posted by: europanel
How a brand’s Eco profile is critical to marketing strategy

How a brand’s Eco profile is critical to marketing strategy

This week we look at: how a brand’s profile amongst Eco segments is critical to marketing strategy; developing the theme on the Premium […]

posted by: europanel
Low contribution of younger age groups on purchasing of top ‘eco’ brands

Low contribution of younger age groups on purchasing of top ‘eco’ brands

This week we look at: the relatively low contribution of younger age groups to the purchasing of top of mind ‘eco’ brands; the […]

posted by: europanel
How few people can name an individual brand that does a good job for the environment

How few people can name an individual brand that does a good job for the environment

This week’s 3 items look at: how few people can name an individual brand that does a good job for the environment; a […]

posted by: europanel
Highly sustainable attitudes and behaviours of Eco-Active

Highly sustainable attitudes and behaviours of Eco-Active

This week we look in more depth at some of the highly sustainable attitudes and behaviours of Eco-Actives and that they are influenced […]

posted by: europanel
Active involvement of younger age groups in reducing their environmental impact

Active involvement of younger age groups in reducing their environmental impact

This week we respond to two questions – the first on the active involvement of younger age groups in reducing their environmental impact; […]

posted by: europanel
Environmental concerns and how brand communication should vary by country

Environmental concerns and how brand communication should vary by country

This week we continue 3 themes. Environmental concerns and how brand communication should vary by country; the importance of small stores in physical […]

posted by: europanel
What the top dogs get

What the top dogs get

Winners get a lot of attention, whether it is sports, politics or Dancing with the Stars. While the success of winning in these […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand extension beats brand addition

Brand extension beats brand addition

Brand growth has been the focus of this blog over the past five years. However, some manufacturers do not put all their eggs […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Standing out in store flyers

Standing out in store flyers

Store flyers have been deemed outdated for a long time. But they get noticed! 8 out of 10 shoppers check them for weekly […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Confusion and lack of knowledge about recycling

Confusion and lack of knowledge about recycling

Our first item this week looks at the confusion and lack of knowledge about recycling even amongst those most keen to do so. Secondly […]

posted by: europanel
The importance to shoppers of water

The importance to shoppers of water

This week our first topic looks at a question on the importance to shoppers of water – in terms of waste, shortage and […]

posted by: europanel
How shoppers are looking for effortless solutions

How shoppers are looking for effortless solutions

Last week we looked at the gap between desire and action when trying to purchase in an environmental way – our first article […]

posted by: europanel
The opportunity to close the gap between shoppers wanting to act sustainably

The opportunity to close the gap between shoppers wanting to act sustainably

This week we look at: the opportunity to close the gap between shoppers wanting to act sustainably and their ability to act; how […]

posted by: europanel
The attraction effect and shoppers views on environmental damage

The attraction effect and shoppers views on environmental damage

This week we conclude our review of the impacts of new products on choice – the attraction effect. In addition, we look at […]

posted by: europanel
Sustainability and the online channel

Sustainability and the online channel

This week we look at: the significant relationship between sustainability and the online channel; which types of category fared better during the last […]

posted by: europanel
#WhoCaresWhoDoes sustainability study and the impact of new product launches

#WhoCaresWhoDoes sustainability study and the impact of new product launches

This week we look at further questions from our #WhoCaresWhoDoes sustainability study – that few brands or retailers are instantly recognised by consumers […]

posted by: europanel
Big 3 on the rise

Big 3 on the rise

Because consumers are supposed to be seeking out smaller (e.g. local, sustainable, niche) brands and also because private labels are still growing one […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand prices are up

Brand prices are up

In one of our last blogs we reported that NB price changes have outpaced PL price changes in recent years: especially for beverages […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Change to protect

Change to protect

Another pair of shoes, a weekend trip to a favourite city, or a Fiorentina steak once a week. We as consumers display various […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Eco-Actives and Eco-Consideres growth

Eco-Actives and Eco-Consideres growth

This week we look at the importance of the rapidly growing Eco-Active and Eco-Considerer shopper segments and how their attitudes are reflected in […]

posted by: europanel
Environmental insights and long term volume trends

Environmental insights and long term volume trends

Following our summit this week on the #WhoCaresWhoDoes 2020 study, two of the articles look at insights on environmental influencers and shopper view […]

posted by: europanel
What are the expectations towards manufacturers for controlling environmental damage

What are the expectations towards manufacturers for controlling environmental damage

This week we continue with our environmental theme, and the role and huge implications for manufacturers. We also provide a new update on […]

posted by: europanel
How recycling could lead to brand opportunities

How recycling could lead to brand opportunities

This week, we continue with headlines from #WhoCaresWhoDoes 2020, looking at recycling, linking it to academic insights and how this could lead to […]

posted by: europanel
How shoppers’ opinions and influences are shaping their purchasing behaviour

How shoppers’ opinions and influences are shaping their purchasing behaviour

This week we continue to look at the environment and how shoppers’ opinions and influences are shaping their purchasing behaviour. We also look […]

posted by: Anna Reinbold
Sustainability and latest FMCG trends

Sustainability and latest FMCG trends

Whilst we concentrate this week on sustainability, just a few points on the latest FMCG trends. A couple of weeks ago, we showed […]

posted by: europanel
#WhoCaresWhoDoes 2020 headlines and private label trends

#WhoCaresWhoDoes 2020 headlines and private label trends

This week we look at the first surprising headlines from our global #WhoCaresWhoDoes study 2020 We also aggregate a number of countries from […]

posted by: europanel
Promotional balance and latest FMCG trends

Promotional balance and latest FMCG trends

In recent weeks we have looked at brand winners and losers. This has shown that promotions, if not managed in a balanced way, […]

posted by: europanel
Winning and losing brands

Winning and losing brands

This week we develop the theme of winning and losing brands by looking at brands that lose after winning, respond to a question […]

posted by: europanel
Losing brands insights and FMCG online

Losing brands insights and FMCG online

This week our three themes are developing losing brands insights, FMCG online – hype or myth and the latest FMCG trends In recent […]

posted by: europanel
Brand growth patterns across Asia and Latin America

Brand growth patterns across Asia and Latin America

Over recent weeks we have concentrated on Europe and brand growth over recessionary and other periods. This week we look at whether the […]

posted by: europanel
PL Success and Price Premia

PL Success and Price Premia

In our post “Higher Price Premia for National Brands“ we showed that NB price premia over PLs have increased over the past three […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Higher Price Premia for National Brands

Higher Price Premia for National Brands

Price setting matters and is challenging: Factors like production costs, value perceptions of different target groups, price ceilings, intended positioning, promotional strategies, seasonality, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Follow the Crowd?

Follow the Crowd?

Crowding impacts shoppers differently. For some people a crowd adds to their experience while for others it spoils the trip. Retailers can reduce […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Managing Pricing & Winning Brands During Recession

Managing Pricing & Winning Brands During Recession

This week we continue to look at managing price plus how winning brands won during the last recession plus the latest on FMCG […]

posted by: europanel
Pricing and environmental concern

Pricing and environmental concern

This week we continue the themes from last week – firstly some key considerations on pricing; secondly environmental concern; and thirdly the latest […]

posted by: europanel
Category differences and climate change

Category differences and climate change

This week’s Pick of the Week firstly follows up last week’s article on pricing in recession with a question about category differences. Secondly […]

posted by: europanel
Category development during the last recession

Category development during the last recession

With a potential recession looming, this week we look at how categories developed volume and pricing over the last recession – and how […]

posted by: europanel
Retailers Impact

Retailers Impact

Following our recent articles about inertia and momentum for brand winners and losers, we have had questions about whether retailers are impacted in […]

posted by: europanel
Share gain and share loss

Share gain and share loss

This week we bring together the recent insights into what happens to a brand after a share gain or a share loss. Inertia […]

posted by: europanel
Latest FMCG trends and consumer momentum

Latest FMCG trends and consumer momentum

This week we look at the most recent FMCG trends across over 20 countries and we develop our recent theme of consumer inertia […]

posted by: europanel
Brand Sticking

Brand Sticking

Humans tend to engage in routine behaviours and often do not question these choices until forced to do so. For example, a study […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
One for All

One for All

Category-specific Private Label (PL) branding is common. For example, Spar Netherlands offered 50+ economy PL ranges like “Casa Italiana” for pasta, “Landhof” for […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Watch season 2 of #WhoCaresWhoDoes

Watch season 2 of #WhoCaresWhoDoes

Last year our #WhoCaresWhoDoes study helped us to better understand environmental concerns and actions of consumers around the globe and how they relate […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand share winners and the extent of consumer inertia

Brand share winners and the extent of consumer inertia

In addition to the latest FMCG trends from around the world, last week we looked at consumer inertia in relation to brand share […]

posted by: europanel
Consumer inertia and latest FMCG trends

Consumer inertia and latest FMCG trends

This week we continue two themes. Firstly, consumer inertia in terms of how brands behave in the long term following a loss of […]

posted by: europanel
During a recession winning brands innovate much more than losers

During a recession winning brands innovate much more than losers

Over the last couple of weeks, as well as the latest FMCG trends pre and post lockdown, we have been looking at winning […]

posted by: europanel
Latest FMCG trends pre and post lockdown

Latest FMCG trends pre and post lockdown

This week we have received several questions about brands over the 2008/9 recession as well as the latest FMCG trends pre and post […]

posted by: europanel
Recent trends for the FMCG market in China

Recent trends for the FMCG market in China

This week we look at the recent trends for the FMCG market in China and answer a couple of questions on the last […]

posted by: europanel
Shopping behaviour during Covid-19

Shopping behaviour during Covid-19

Rather than data, this week I have summarised my take-outs and actions based on the latest FMCG shopping behaviour in Belgium, Italy, Spain […]

posted by: europanel
Covid-19 impact on FMCG

Covid-19 impact on FMCG

We know that Covid-19 will have significant impact on FMCG purchasing, product and retailer choice   This week I am sharing the 2019 […]

posted by: europanel
Covid-19

Covid-19

This week we naturally concentrate on Covid-19   Here we see some of the initial impact on FMCG in Europe and as expected […]

posted by: europanel
Climate-active shoppers: Do they differ?

Climate-active shoppers: Do they differ?

Climate panic (© NYT) has arrived: Reactions range from substantial lifestyle changes (e.g. vegan clothing, meatless diets) to burying one’s head in the […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Green new products sometimes boost brand attitude

Green new products sometimes boost brand attitude

Brands offer green products to address consumer calls for more corporate ambition in protecting the environment. For example, the fashion brand Armedangels recently […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand Loyalty: A Consumer Characteristic?

Brand Loyalty: A Consumer Characteristic?

Any brand has some buyers that are more loyal than others. High behavioural loyalty (often measured by the share-of-wallet a brand commands within […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Times of uncertainty

Times of uncertainty

In view of the current Covid 19 crisis, this week we look at insights from previous periods of uncertainty.   Primarily these are […]

posted by: europanel
Brand size

Brand size

This week there have been several questions about brand size   The first two items look at brand size in relation to online […]

posted by: europanel
Price premium availability and preparation time

Price premium availability and preparation time

Following on from last week we now take a look at questions of price premium availability and preparation time.   Last week we […]

posted by: europanel
Enjoyment is the main reason for meal choice

Enjoyment is the main reason for meal choice

This week I have asked my colleague and usage expert Giles Quick (UK) about some of the questions he has received recently. The […]

posted by: europanel
Regional and category differences

Regional and category differences

After last week’s look at Innovation (new brands/sub-brands) and Renovation (new variants, sizes, types), I received several questions about regional and category differences: […]

posted by: europanel
Retailer shopping frequency boosts basket size and PL share

Retailer shopping frequency boosts basket size and PL share

Households visiting a specific retail chain frequently do so for a number of reasons: such as they live close by and/or they may […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Discount shopping – a real threat to FMCG growth?

Discount shopping – a real threat to FMCG growth?

Some shoppers love the simplicity of discount formats, others avoid the format and prefer supermarkets or hypermarkets with broader and deeper assortments. Most […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Eco-Actives most critical about product labelling

Eco-Actives most critical about product labelling

Eco-Actives aim to avoid plastic waste, purchase sustainable products and seek “green” consumption. Does this behavior translate into the information these shoppers seek […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Product labelling – a critical ingredient

Product labelling – a critical ingredient

A large number of shoppers base their choices on an intensive examination of food labels, often using signals regarding ingredients and manufacturing to […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Innovation Enablers

Innovation Enablers

Many new products (NPs) share this fate: After an initial (communicative) hype they are kicked off shelves because performance is below expectations. Different […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Eco-Actives and Retailer Choice

Eco-Actives and Retailer Choice

Out of the four segments created based on attitudes and behaviour around plastic (link to previous) the eco-actives are most concerned and it […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Plastic Behaviour Segments not as expected

Plastic Behaviour Segments not as expected

Based on responses of more than 65,000 respondents in 24 countries for our #Who Cares Who Does study we derive four consumer segments […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Small pack sizes are bad for you!

Small pack sizes are bad for you!

You may be familiar with this sequence: One small-sized chocolate bar is a justifiable and well-deserved treat because calories per serving are so […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Shoppers want industry to cut down on plastic

Shoppers want industry to cut down on plastic

More pro-environmental behaviours may be the result of (un)conscious choices by consumers, government intervention or activities by industry. Regarding specific retailer or manufacturer […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Less meat – rare feat

Less meat – rare feat

Some weeks ago, the United Nations called for a change in human eating behaviour. Specifically, the organization stated that plant-based diets should replace […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Inspiring consumers to recycle

Inspiring consumers to recycle

Do you ever think about what happens to recyclable materials after you drop them at the recycling bin? If not, please do: Current […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
#WhoCaresWhoDoes?

#WhoCaresWhoDoes?

Our #WhoCaresWhoDoes? initiative aims to support brand manufacturers and retailers to better understand consumer attitudes regarding the environment and how that translates into brand […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
How to stimulate eco-friendly engagement?

How to stimulate eco-friendly engagement?

What people say and what they actually do may be entirely different. Psychologists call this phenomenon attitude-behaviour gap, which is especially prevalent for […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Buyer profiles: Can they be altered?

Buyer profiles: Can they be altered?

Brands have skewed success profiles for different sociodemographic groups for various reasons: The positioning of the brand within the category, the set of […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
FMCG e-commerce: Asia sets the tone

FMCG e-commerce: Asia sets the tone

Isn’t it convenient and less time consuming to sit at home or in your office and do your shopping online? Your preferred retailer […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Private Label lags behind Online

Private Label lags behind Online

Private Labels (PL) have become a dominant part of the assortment of many grocery retailers. But is PL equally prominent in online as […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Baskets online still much larger than offline

Baskets online still much larger than offline

Online trips on average are still infrequent and baskets typically feature lower PL shares than offline trips. But what about basket size? There […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Why shoppers stick or switch

Why shoppers stick or switch

In a brand owner’s ideal world all buyers of the brand would be loyal and no one would switch to any other brand. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Categories and their ceiling

Categories and their ceiling

A category’s popularity in a country depends on history, cultural and consumption habits as well as marketing activities of brands and retailers. To […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Do dinosaur brands face extinction?

Do dinosaur brands face extinction?

Big brands cannot grow their shares infinitely. Besides the obvious limit (there are only a 100 share points to distribute), new brands (and […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
FMCG and the Environment: Lots of questions, few answers.

FMCG and the Environment: Lots of questions, few answers.

Reducing and recycling waste requires a systematic effort from many stakeholders. Currently, retailers and manufacturers sometimes replace plastic packaging with paper-based and biodegradable […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Nutrition claims: Do they impact choice?

Nutrition claims: Do they impact choice?

No sugar added. High in protein. With added vitamin C. Many products carry at least one nutrition claim emphasizing healthiness. At the shelf, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Portfolio sizes differ by market

Portfolio sizes differ by market

Two out of three manufacturers are single brand single category players. What about the brand portfolio size and category scope of manufacturers with […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand Portfolio Strategies

Brand Portfolio Strategies

Brand architecture helps manufacturers to structure their different brands in a systematic way. Two main strategies exist: A Branded House strategy relies on […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
House of Brands beats Branded House*

House of Brands beats Branded House*

The share a brand commands is the consequence of many past actions. The decision about brand portfolios is only one of these actions. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The premiumization trade-off

The premiumization trade-off

Over the past four years about an equal number of the thousands of brands in the BG20 database has increased, decreased or not […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Premium brands – selection is key

Premium brands – selection is key

High price brands do not prosper everywhere. Amongst top ten brands they are disproportionately frequent in Western Europe and in petfood categories: Examples […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The Size of the Price

The Size of the Price

Selling at a high price point presents opportunities as well as challenges. On the one hand a high-price strategy can pay off as […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Green packaging? Not for mainstream brands!

Green packaging? Not for mainstream brands!

These days eco-friendly products hit store shelves regularly: Companies incorporate a green mind-set into their product and branding to meet many shoppers’ aspirations […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Small brands: More from less

Small brands: More from less

Big brands are attractive for most retailers because they are able to increase shelf turnover, enjoy high equity and drawing power. Big retailers […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Age doesn’t hinder brand growth

Age doesn’t hinder brand growth

Is it really only young upcoming brands that thrive or are their more established peers holding up? We examined the performance of 169 […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Rising Stars: Category matters

Rising Stars: Category matters

Rising brands are found more often in specific geographic areas. Besides location, do we also find sweet spots in terms of categories for […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Rising Stars and their Marketing

Rising Stars and their Marketing

Europe and Latin America are promising hosts for small brands to grow, as are household categories and categories with a high PL share. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Rising Stars: How and where small brands break through

Rising Stars: How and where small brands break through

Coccolino, Fever-Tree, or La Campagnola have a common denominator: They are small brands able to increase their penetration substantially over a short period […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand price premium varies substantially

Brand price premium varies substantially

Private labels (PL) challenge national brands by taking away sales, eroding consumer brand equity and squeezing price levels. However, national brands (NB) continue […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Big brands keep more buyers

Big brands keep more buyers

One way to assess loyalty in FMCG is the ability to keep buyers from one year to the next. Given the massive choice, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand leaders often cheaper than their peers

Brand leaders often cheaper than their peers

National brands on average manage to charge a substantial price premium compared to private labels. But do market leaders achieve this more easily […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Want to come across more human? Use handwritten typefaces!

Want to come across more human? Use handwritten typefaces!

Manufacturers increasingly emphasize humanness in their packaging design by using typefaces that appear handwritten. Think of brands like Lindt with its Hello Chocolate […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Pack sizes: When offerings and preferences diverge

Pack sizes: When offerings and preferences diverge

Besides the oft-cited examples of manufacturers reducing established pack sizes to hide price increases, several socio-economic and behavioural trends (e.g.: more single households, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Winners up their pack sizes

Winners up their pack sizes

This blog aims to add more nuance to our understanding of pack size changes. We investigate how pack size changes are linked to […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Share from Innovation: Not necessarily a good indicator of success!

Share from Innovation: Not necessarily a good indicator of success!

“Share from new products” which shows how much a brand’s new offerings contribute to its total sales is often a measure of innovation […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
New product incrementality matters to growth

New product incrementality matters to growth

Brands have to innovate and this should pay off via an increase in market share. We compare how market share winners and market […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Retail Availability and Sales

Retail Availability and Sales

Higher distribution always pays off, but how much? A recent study investigates distribution elasticity in Systembolaget, which has a monopoly on alcohol sales […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Once is not enough

Once is not enough

Summary Duration: 01:24   Part 01: Growth Duration 04:37   Part 02: Occasions Duration: 03:38   Part 03: Levers Duration: 2:43

posted by: europanel
Top brands do better in Asia and South America than in Europe or the US

Top brands do better in Asia and South America than in Europe or the US

Two of the most widely used (and highly correlated) measures for a brand’s strength are market share and relative penetration (the percentage of […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Growing penetration is hard, even for leading brands

Growing penetration is hard, even for leading brands

Increasing buyer numbers is the most promising avenue for brands to achieve growth. We looked at the ability of brands to attract more […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Category purchase frequency impacts share of leading brands and private labels

Category purchase frequency impacts share of leading brands and private labels

Shopping frequency for a category increases with higher consumption levels, higher storage needs, perishability or the level of impulse purchasing. It may also […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Small vs. large basket trips

Small vs. large basket trips

Missions impact the composition of shopping baskets: Consumers may shop spontaneously and buy little on a trip or alternatively plan to refill empty […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Promotions and popular events

Promotions and popular events

Popular events like the Olympic games, Formula One, the Eurovision Song Contest or the Wimbledon Championships represent excellent occasions for brands to communicate […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Physical availability and brand size

Physical availability and brand size

In FMCG, brands rely on retailers for their physical availability. To understand the relationship between availability and brand size we examine physical presence […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Premiumisation in FMCG: Difficult to Achieve

Premiumisation in FMCG: Difficult to Achieve

Premiumisation is a challenging avenue for growth in FMCG given the focus on low prices in the marketing communication of both retailers and […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Private labels still selling at substantial discounts versus national brands

Private labels still selling at substantial discounts versus national brands

Retailers originally established private labels as low-priced alternatives for price-conscious shoppers. Nowadays, private labels in many categories have become very sophisticated often matching […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Underpriced Innovations!?

Underpriced Innovations!?

Pricing a new product is tough: Charge too much and it won’t sell. Charge too little and forgo revenue or undermine brand equity. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Do good things come with smaller packages?

Do good things come with smaller packages?

Manufacturers regularly use different pack sizes to meet a variety of needs. It’s easy to imagine drinking a can of coke for lunch, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
A typology of pack sizes and variety

A typology of pack sizes and variety

Brand manufacturers and retailers are eager to meet consumers’ variety needs. Given the diversity of consumers’ tastes and preferences, offering a wide assortment […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Shrinkflation: Smaller packages substantially more expensive

Shrinkflation: Smaller packages substantially more expensive

It is not a secret that smaller pack sizes are usually more expensive per gram or liter than larger ones. Examples of brands […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Downsizing: Smaller packs hurt volumes

Downsizing: Smaller packs hurt volumes

Brand manufacturers provide choice not only via variety of assortment but also variety of pack sizes. Recently, smaller pack sizes have become fashionable […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Half of all brands face in-house competition

Half of all brands face in-house competition

About 30% of families in New York only have one child1. Imagine that: no competition between you and your siblings, but with it, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Healthy Diets – Empty Wallets

Healthy Diets – Empty Wallets

Today, consumers have various concerns when choosing food and these considerations can often be overwhelming; too much fat, too much sugar, not convenient, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
European consumers shop less: Do brands need to worry?

European consumers shop less: Do brands need to worry?

Across Europe* shoppers are visiting FMCG retailers less frequently, with the average number of visits per shopper declining by 2.2%between 2012 and 2015. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Buyer churn: 50% does not equal half your sales

Buyer churn: 50% does not equal half your sales

FMCG brands struggle to keep more than 50% of last year’s buyers – especially if they are small and compete in rarely purchased […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
What’s the Occasion? Brand growth!

What’s the Occasion? Brand growth!

We have previously shown that the most effective way to drive brand growth is by attracting additional buyers (i.e. foster penetration), but fundamentally, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Innovation, Innovation, Innovation

Innovation, Innovation, Innovation

For a brand, the launch of new products can have many benefits, such as exciting consumers, outplaying competitors, keeping brand image dynamic, satisfying […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
High contribution of new products in many Personal Care categories

High contribution of new products in many Personal Care categories

Across categories and brands, innovations are seen as a vital requirement to remain relevant, increase sales and gain new buyers. However, not all […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Winners Add, Losers Replace

Winners Add, Losers Replace

How do new products impact growth and decline of brands? At first glance, it seems they don’t: The 15% fastest growing brands get […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
In Manufacturer vs Retailer… Manufacturer Wins

In Manufacturer vs Retailer… Manufacturer Wins

Retailer and manufacturer battles have been in the news lately across Europe, with some high profile cases making it difficult for some consumers […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
High Frequency Means Many Buyers!

High Frequency Means Many Buyers!

It probably won’t come as a surprise that categories that are purchased at least 20 times per year are also categories that are […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The usual suspect: Penetration!

The usual suspect: Penetration!

Earlier this year we identified three ingredients for brand size: Penetration – How many consumers purchase a brand? Frequency – How often do […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Distribution vs penetration thresholds

Distribution vs penetration thresholds

High distribution (i.e. the share of all relevant outlets where a brand is on sale) plays a major role in determining a brand’s […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Tough to keep more than 70% of last year’s buyers

Tough to keep more than 70% of last year’s buyers

Consumer churn is a major challenge for FMCG brands: The average top ten brand loses about half of its buyers from year to […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Horizontal beats vertical

Horizontal beats vertical

Assortment variety is essential for retailer listings and, as we have shown before, for brand penetration. At the same time, choice overload is […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
In-store collection doesn’t deliver

In-store collection doesn’t deliver

Consumers increasingly shop via click and collect, a blended retailer format that combines online ordering and collecting goods at a pick-up point. A […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Small brands: Less bang for the buck

Small brands: Less bang for the buck

Recently we showed that even leading brands struggle to attract a majority of category buyers (see “The top brands don’t get all the […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
3 ingredients for brand sales success

3 ingredients for brand sales success

There are three components that explain high or low brand sales: 1. Penetration – How many consumers purchase a brand? 2. Frequency – […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The top brands don’t get all the buyers!

The top brands don’t get all the buyers!

Even leading brands struggle to attract a majority of category buyers. Across 13 countries and over 80 categories, the top brand, on average, […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Premium brands: Are they really different?

Premium brands: Are they really different?

“Premium brands command higher loyalty and are predominantly bought by affluent consumers” – these are two popular beliefs on brand premiumization, a branding […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Bad neighbours may be other categories

Bad neighbours may be other categories

Consumers are often confronted with product categories within a fixed space (e.g. freezer or check-out) that are not connected with their planned purchase. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Big Means 0.25

Big Means 0.25

How much market share can the number one national brand in a category claim? Across 17 markets and 79 categories we find that […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Real Lovers are Rare

Real Lovers are Rare

 You would expect popular everyday brands to be chosen frequently by most of its buyers. Let’s take a look at a popular brand […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Tired of Innovating?!

Tired of Innovating?!

“Innovate or die” is a frequently used statement to emphasize the importance of launching new products. Some recent trends show that FMCG products […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
On-Off: Aldi’s relationship with National Brands

On-Off: Aldi’s relationship with National Brands

“Spend a little – live a lot” –  is Aldi’s value proposition for consumers looking for superior product quality for a low price. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Local and Global Heroes

Local and Global Heroes

Our last blog entry showed that across eight European countries the top ten manufacturers are responsible for just below half of total value […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The secret of positioning

The secret of positioning

“Tummy in, chest out”  – a saying which reminds us to correct our body position to signal increased self-confidence. For several years, academic […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Cookies & Quinoa: the effect of green shopping bags

Cookies & Quinoa: the effect of green shopping bags

Green (reusable) shopping bags not only offer peace of mind, but also influence consumer in-store behaviour. An analysis of 936,232 purchases by 5,987 […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
10 – 47 – 20: Manufacturers, market share, brands

10 – 47 – 20: Manufacturers, market share, brands

Complaints about retailer concentration in FMCG are omnipresent. The top 5 banners in many European markets sell 50% or more of total FMCG […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Pet care least innovative

Pet care least innovative

In our last blog we investigated how category penetration and purchase frequency impact the variety shoppers encounter in that category (see April 16). […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Category clutter – a result of frequency and penetration

Category clutter – a result of frequency and penetration

How do category purchase frequency and category penetration impact the variety shoppers encounter? To answer this question, we investigate category assortments across 8 […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Unit pricing helps value brands

Unit pricing helps value brands

Retail prices usually show a price per package, let’s say €1.50 for a 500g pack of  Barilla spaghetti. Shoppers may additionally check the unit price […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
How much to expect from a SKU

How much to expect from a SKU

Do some categories have more star performers than others? We analyzed the value sales coming from the average SKU in food, beverage, household […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The vicious circle of sales promotions

The vicious circle of sales promotions

The increasing reliance on price promotions to boost sales is a frequently discussed and often lamented topic. With good reason. One thousand categories […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Small + infrequent = LIGHT

Small + infrequent = LIGHT

The smaller your brand and the lower the purchase frequency of your category the more you rely on light brand buyers. This is […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
If it sounds like me, it is mine.

If it sounds like me, it is mine.

Does it matter whether a product’s price (when spoken) shares letters with a consumer’s name or numbers of their birthday date? Why should […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Private Labels build retailer loyalty … to a point

Private Labels build retailer loyalty … to a point

A few years ago we confirmed academic studies* showing that the relationship between a household’s PL share at a given retailer and the […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Heart, Mind and Brand Sales

Heart, Mind and Brand Sales

Brand managers and academics agree that strong brand equity is a key to brand success. A recent study empirically links two prominent perspectives […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Tiny but mighty

Tiny but mighty

Where do we find more share growth: among big or small brands? Looking at some 5000 brands across many markets for which we […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Category Growth Higher where Innovations are Plenty

Category Growth Higher where Innovations are Plenty

Total FMCG growth has been modest over the past five years. However, this observation hides substantial category differences. We  examined whether innovations are […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Price War – Love it or Leave it

Price War – Love it or Leave it

Retailer-initiated price wars are a popular strategy to battle for market share. When in October 2003 Dutch retailer Albert Heijn announced price cuts […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
FMCG shopping in Turkey – Tradition vs Modernity

FMCG shopping in Turkey – Tradition vs Modernity

The Turkish retail landscape is characterised by a mix of traditional open bazars, specialist shops, small grocery shops and modern supermarkets. Traditional retail […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Innovation by Retailers: Rare, but there

Innovation by Retailers: Rare, but there

Innovation is an essential growth strategy for both brand manufacturers and retailers. New products allow companies to charge higher prices and create differentiation […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The Price of New

The Price of New

New products serve many functions for a brand – to introduce technological/functional changes, to attract non-buyers or to enhance  positioning. They may also […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Percentages are hard to grasp

Percentages are hard to grasp

Many people struggle with percentage calculations. One of the challenges arises from a phenomenon called base value neglect (BVN), the tendency to ignore […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
More human – less fair?

More human – less fair?

Brand anthropomorphization is the association of a brand with human-like characteristics, motivations, and behaviours to enable closer relationships between consumers and brands.  A […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand name leverage lower in Foods

Brand name leverage lower in Foods

Looking at over 13000 brands (all of which are in the top 10) in 79 categories across 14 countries, there are substantial differences […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Lower shares can lead in frequent categories

Lower shares can lead in frequent categories

Less than 10% of all category leaders have market shares of more than 50% whereas more than one third has less than 20% […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Small brands rely on promotion

Small brands rely on promotion

The average brand in a frequently purchased category (more than ten times per year) is sold on promotion by at least one of […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Wide variation in e-commerce

Wide variation in e-commerce

Grocery E-Commerce reach differs widely between countries in comparable  stages of their retail development. While 6 out of 10 South Koreans purchases online […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Exclusive listings don’t help

Exclusive listings don’t help

A recent trend among manufacturers and retailers are exclusive deals limiting the brand’s availability to only one retailer. A study investigates an exclusive […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Acquisition drives growth more than retention

Acquisition drives growth more than retention

A substantial percentage of a brand’s buyers this year will not buy it in the next year (see our previous newsletter how brand […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Local icon or global hero?

Local icon or global hero?

FMCG boasts a balanced mixture of local, regional and global brands. Investigating the presence of some 750 Top 3 share brands across 30 […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Half of the world’s households buy Colgate

Half of the world’s households buy Colgate

Growth is about penetration: retaining and increasing the number of shoppers choosing the brand. Combining how many households around the world are buying […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Don’t try changing habits

Don’t try changing habits

There are two types of repeat customers: One group repeats choice based on habit and another group repeats choice because of brand preference.  […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Leakiness less when large

Leakiness less when large

To maintain a brand’s sales level it needs to continuously attract new buyers. Why? Because for the average brand more than half its […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Appealing without promoting?

Appealing without promoting?

The increasing reliance of brands on price promotions to influence consumer choice is widely reported. While we do not see much difference between […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
How to seduce customers online

How to seduce customers online

A recent study covering 36 brands in 15 categories compares online metrics with attitude survey metrics in their ability to explain sales. While […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Triple whammy for small brands

Triple whammy for small brands

Double jeopardy is well documented: Compared to larger brands, smaller brands have fewer buyers that buy them slightly less often. However, these small […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Penetration drives share – at different rates

Penetration drives share – at different rates

Past contributions to this newsletter have shown that bigger brands have more buyers and growing brands grow by attracting more buyers. How much […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Online grocery shopping – many pockets for growth

Online grocery shopping – many pockets for growth

As online grocery shopping continues to grow, interesting regional patterns in the profile of this channel are emerging. In GB, for example, we […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Experienced multi-channel buyers start cheating

Experienced multi-channel buyers start cheating

A recent study amongst UK households shows that retailer loyalty of multi-channel shoppers decreases the more experienced they are as shoppers. Initially, shoppers […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
High price and penetration can coexist

High price and penetration can coexist

A recent analysis covering panel data from 14 European countries, Russia and the US compares the price ratio between brands and private labels […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Truly dominant brands in FMCG exist, but rare

Truly dominant brands in FMCG exist, but rare

Identifying the category leader in 79 categories across 16 countries reveals vast differences regarding brand preference. In only 16 categories we find the […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Value extensions less damaging than expected

Value extensions less damaging than expected

A recent study evaluates how extending into higher versus lower quality levels respectively impacts the brand image of middle-tier brands. Results show asymmetrical […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Price Premia of Brands over Private Labels differ substantially

Price Premia of Brands over Private Labels differ substantially

The examination of national brand (NB) prices relative to their private label (PL) peers in 1100 categories across 16 countries reveal some surprising […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
What it’s like being #1

What it’s like being #1

Comparing the leading brand in a category with its followers reveals several interesting commonalities and discrepancies. Looking at some 6000 brands across Europe […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Price promotions reduce thinking

Price promotions reduce thinking

Price promotions can lower consumers’ motivation to think rationally during the purchasing process. Because the (financial) risk of making wrong decision decreases, emotions […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Big retailers continue their growth

Big retailers continue their growth

Some headlines on recent retailer developments: In the 14 Western European countries, the number of major retailer banners used per household per year […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Beware the informed shopper

Beware the informed shopper

A recent study on willingness-to-pay for brands versus private labels in the pharmaceutical industry shows that the more consumers are educated the more […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
New is not easy to do

New is not easy to do

The positive impact of innovations on brand success is well-known: By enhancing a brand’s equity, they justify the price premium, attract buyers and […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Similar but different

Similar but different

Across the ‘Big 6’ Western European markets, the average household shops 3 to 4 times per week, spending an average of € 20 […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Range matters – up to a point

Range matters – up to a point

Brand range and size are related – likely reinforcing each other: Bigger brands are able to get more SKUs listed and more SKUs […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Private Label hurts category volume

Private Label hurts category volume

A study of 449 FMCG categories in six European markets reveals an interesting pattern between Private Label share and category growth. Categories which […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Discount shoppers: More upmarket than you’d expect

Discount shoppers: More upmarket than you’d expect

The discount channel has become an increasingly important channel in recent years throughout Europe, albeit at different levels in different countries. An ever […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Where are the premium brands?

Where are the premium brands?

Many brand manufacturers strive to position their brands as premium in an attempt to achieve higher differentiation, loyalty and margins. A simple price-based […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Distance matters: In-store travel drives impulse

Distance matters: In-store travel drives impulse

The average shopper passes through less than half of the aisles in a typical grocery retailer. Obviously, products in the remaining store cannot […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand Price Premium not related to Private Label Success

Brand Price Premium not related to Private Label Success

Private Label (PL) success in a category is often linked to price in contradictory theories: (1) A large price gap between brands and […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Brand Authenticity: Manufacturing site matters

Brand Authenticity: Manufacturing site matters

Many global brands are shifting production to sites in countries with lower manufacturing costs or share production between different sites. This may result in […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Even Heavy Buyers Will Stop buying next year

Even Heavy Buyers Will Stop buying next year

In a previous blog we showed that the average brand loses more than half of its buyers every year. Surprisingly, this loss is […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
The right (or wrong) of changing pack size

The right (or wrong) of changing pack size

A recent study investigates how shoppers make sense of changes in packaging. Not surprisingly, their estimates of pack size changes are most precise […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Less than 1 in 4 items sold is a brand at regular price

Less than 1 in 4 items sold is a brand at regular price

For regular readers of supermarket leaflets this piece of news may not come as a surprise: The percentage of FMCG sold on promotion […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Price gap between Brands and Private Label widens

Price gap between Brands and Private Label widens

Over the past five years prices of Private Labels have increased by an average of 10% – the same change as for National […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Shopper needs waiting to be addressed

Shopper needs waiting to be addressed

In a project conducted by Europanel and Roland Berger Consultants for The Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council Europe, nine emerging but poorly met shopper […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Winning brands: Only 3% price increase over 5 years

Winning brands: Only 3% price increase over 5 years

Among some 6000 brands studied in 79 categories across 13 European countries the 500 brands with the biggest volume share gains 2008-2012 have […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Want to increase sales? Empty your shelves!

Want to increase sales? Empty your shelves!

Well-stocked shelves are considered important for several reasons: orderly appearance of the aisle, lower likelihood of out-of-stocks and higher visual impact for the […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
FMCG slows in early 2014

FMCG slows in early 2014

The first quarter of 2014 shows a relatively weak trend for FMCG volume sales partly due to different seasonal timings compared with 2014. […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Private Label Success: Don’t blame the category!

Private Label Success: Don’t blame the category!

  Confronted with high Private Label (PL) shares in their category, brand manufacturers often blame increasing commoditization as if it was a law […]

posted by: Oliver Koll
Business Challenge 2

Business Challenge 2

Topics We will invite a professor from our network to present a recent piece of research – most likely in the field of […]

posted by: europanel
Advertising around Sports Events – an own goal?

Advertising around Sports Events – an own goal?

A study* looking at UK sales of FMCG brands around 15 major sports events shows that: Ad spend around the event increases by […]

posted by: europanel
E-Commerce: will the rest of Europe follow?

E-Commerce: will the rest of Europe follow?

When it comes to online shopping, the FMCG industry is still in its infancy. With the exceptions of South Korea (9% share), UK […]

posted by: europanel
How to grow share: get more buyers

How to grow share: get more buyers

Exploring 5 year trends of some 2,400 major brands in 79 FMCG categories across eight European markets reveals two very consistent patterns: Whether […]

posted by: europanel
Most current brand buyers will not buy next year

Most current brand buyers will not buy next year

An analysis of 2,400 large (> 2% share) brands in 79 FMCG categories reveals that the average brand loses 55% of its buyers […]

posted by: europanel
The safest way to become a category leader…

The safest way to become a category leader…

The safest way to become a category leader is to be category leader five years earlier. However, there are exceptions. In several hundred […]

posted by: europanel
Shelf space elasticities higher for increases

Shelf space elasticities higher for increases

A meta analysis of the impact of shelf space allocation on brand and category sales reveals that increases in shelf space have a […]

posted by: europanel
No sign of private labels slowing down

No sign of private labels slowing down

It may start feeling like groundhog day: In 2013 across Europe, we see Private Labels increase their shares by about half a percentage […]

posted by: europanel