Congratulations, Warburtons. The bread has been named the UK’s ‘most chosen’ fmcg brand for the second year running, in Kantar Worldpanel’s Brand Footprint study.
What does ‘most chosen’ mean, I hear you cry? Well, it’s based on ‘Consumer Reach Points’, a measurement of the number of times brands are chosen by shoppers. This is determined by penetration (how many households bought the brand); population (number of households); and frequency.
Of course, a measure that relies heavily on frequency lends itself to products that are purchased on a regular basis, by the widest number of people – bread, for example, should chart higher than shaving foam. Nonetheless, it’s an impressive result for Warbies – a family-owned brand local to the UK – as it beat the likes of Heinz and Coca-Cola to be chosen an average of 25 times a year by 86% of UK households.
Indeed the contrast between local and global is a recurring theme in Kantar’s detailed report. Local brands have increased their Consumer Reach Points at the expense of the global behemoths; of the 35 countries featured, 15 have a home-grown local brand in the top spot – from Dr Oetker in Germany to Mulino Bianco in Italy.
The global top 50 throws up a number of surprises, too. Coca-Cola holds the top spot, but would you have expected Nestlé-owned Maggi to hold number four, 10 places above its parent brand? Maggi, best known for its instant soups and stock cubes, is big in India and Malaysia, where it is the most-chosen brand, according to Kantar. Meanwhile Colgate is number two on the global list, thanks in part to its footprint in Asia.
Kantar’s global report is a blizzard of information, and a goldmine of trivia – in China, an fmcg product is launched every two minutes, apparently – but what does it tell us about the consumer trends that are putting these brands on the map?
“The Top 50 brands are masters at solving functional needs, making life easier and bringing significance beyond consumption,” says Kantar. Successful brands are responding to consumer demands for healthier products, convenience and affordability (“smart sizing”, such as sachets or small packets, for example, have helped brands get ahead in markets such as South East Asia and Latin America, according to Kantar). In a social media world, brands that master “talkability” have done well; as have those that play on consumers’ desires to express individuality – the ‘Share A Coke’ campaign is a prime example.
Private label remains a force to be reckoned with, particularly in developed markets such as Europe, where it grew its share of the overall market from 26% in 2012 to 27% in 2013. Private label grew 1.9% in the UK, where it already has the largest share of any European market.
Perhaps most intriguing of all, for any close observers of the UK grocery market, Kantar suggests the fmcg industry is becoming polarised. “As shoppers redefine what ‘value’ means to them, consumers are moving away from mainstream products towards premium ranges which offer affordable luxury or basic ranges,” it says – a trend that is reflected in the drift towards discounters and upmarket retailers.
The brands on this list would be well advised not to rest on their laurels: being chosen is one thing; staying chosen is another.
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