A quarter of Scots would stop buying Scottish food and drink if prices were 15% more expensive than the rest of the market, new research from YouGov has revealed.
The survey of just over 500 Scots, conducted for the Buying Scottish Food and Drink report in June, showed three-quarters (76%) prefer to buy Scottish food and drink where possible.
Two-thirds (67%) of those surveyed said they wanted to support Scottish farmers and the same proportion (67%) wanted to support the economy and jobs. Over half (56%) believed Scottish food was better.
But price was a factor. While over a third (38%) would still purchase Scottish food and drink even if they faced cost pressures, more than four in ten (42%) would purchase the items less frequently. The research found that fewer than one in ten (8%) would stop buying Scottish food and drink altogether and look elsewhere for cheaper alternatives.
However, YouGov’s data suggests that Scottish consumers would want to make considerable savings before they considered switching away from domestic products.
The research showed that 25% of Scots would stop buying domestic food and drink if Scottish produce was 15% more expensive than alternatives. But 18% would have to see a saving of 50% or more before they would be tempted to move away.
“Scots have great enthusiasm for supporting domestic products, companies and jobs, and believe their food and drink to be of good quality. However, economic conditions may start to squeeze consumers’ finances over the next few years as inflation rises,” said Kate Fillery, researcher at YouGov Reports.
“Should alternatives become relatively cheaper, Scottish food and drink producers could start to feel the pinch on the domestic front. Advertising campaigns stressing the practical and emotional impact of buying Scottish may therefore become important to producers looking to maintain market share in potentially tricky conditions.”
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