Do Americans Prefer Name-Brands or Store Brands? Well, That Depends.

New York , N.Y. – February 11, 2015 – We have all our favorite brands for at least some of the things we purchase for daily consumption, including both food and other household items. Whether we’re considering breakfast foods, soft drinks, pet food, or even paper products, Americans often have their preferences. But just how often do Americans reach for name-brand products over the store brand options available? That depends on exactly what they’re reaching for.

Americans tend to purchase name-brands for food and beverage products where flavor, arguably, differs more between brands. This at least seems to be true for a majority of Americans who default to name-brands when purchasing breakfast cereal (62%), carbonated soft drinks (58%), bagged snacks (58%), prepared frozen foods (56%), coffee (55%), and yogurt (54%). Additionally, pluralities buy name-brand fruit juice (49%).

On the other hand, when it comes to food and beverage products that are the blank slates of household staples, Americans reach for the store brand option. Majorities purchase store brands for milk (60%), frozen vegetables (51%), and cooking oil (50%); pluralities buy the store brand option for canned vegetables (48%), dry pasta (47%), and bottled water (40%).

These are some of the results of The Harris Poll® of 2,276 U.S. adults surveyed online between November 12 and 17, 2014.

Wrapping up the food and beverage considerations, Americans are largely split on their brand buying habits when it comes to cheese (44% store brand vs. 48% name-brand), bread (44% vs. 46%), and frozen meats or seafood (39% vs. 41%).

Considering other types of household products, majorities of Americans purchase store brands for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs (60%) and paper products (51%), but rely on name-brand products for cleaning products (55%). For family members of a different persuasion, only the best will do, with pluralities opting for name-brand pet food (44%).

Demographic Divides

Not too surprisingly, in many instances, income differences coincide with brand choice differences, namely individuals from higher income households are more likely to purchase name-brands compared to those from lower income households. For all product types surveyed, with the exception of milk and prepared frozen foods, those with an income of $100K or higher are more likely than those earning less than $35K to purchase name-brands for each product.

Differences exist among generations as well. In several cases, millennials are less likely to purchase name-brand products compared to their older counterparts.

• Both Baby Boomers and Matures are more likely than Millennials to turn to name-brands for coffee (58% & 62% vs. 48%, respectively).
• Gen Xers, Baby Boomers, and Matures are all more likely than Millennials to reach for name-brand paper products (47%, 46%, & 50% vs. 37%), dry pasta (46%, 46%, & 47%, vs. 33%), and frozen vegetables (37%, 39%, & 38% vs. 26%).
• On another note, interestingly, Gen Xers are more likely than any other generation to choose name-brands for a number of categories: carbonated soft drinks (67% vs. 53% Millennials, 58% Baby Boomers, & 54% Matures), cleaning products (62% vs. 51%, 55%, & 49%), and pet food (54% vs. 41%, 46%, & 29%).

Men and women have a few different preferences as well.

• Women purchase name-brands more than men for many products: breakfast cereal (65% vs. 58%), yogurt (57% vs. 50%), pet food (47% vs. 41%), and paper products (47% vs. 40%).
• On the other hand, women buy store brands more than men when it comes to milk (64% vs. 57%), OTC drugs (65% vs. 55%), food storage bags and other containers (58% vs. 49%), and frozen vegetables (55% vs. 47%).
• Men show stronger name-brand preferences for dry pasta (46% vs. 38%) and OTC drugs (31% vs. 25%).

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TABLE 1

STORE VS. NAME BRAND SHOPPING – SUMMARY

For each of the following types of products, please indicate whether you typically buy name-brand products or store brand products (sometimes referred to as ‘house brand’ or ‘private label’)?

Base: U.S. Adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 2

PURCHASES STORE BRAND/HOUSE BRAND/PRIVATE LABEL PRODUCTS – SUMMARY

By Generation, Gender, and Income

For each of the following types of products, please indicate whether you typically buy name-brand products or store brand products (sometimes referred to as ‘house brand’ or ‘private label’)?

Base: U.S. Adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

TABLE 3

PURCHASES BRAND NAME PRODUCTS – SUMMARY

By Generation, Gender, and Income

For each of the following types of products, please indicate whether you typically buy name-brand products or store brand products (sometimes referred to as ‘house brand’ or ‘private label’)?

Base: U.S. Adults

Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Methodology

This Harris Poll was conducted online, in English, within the United States between November 12 and 17, 2014 among 2,276 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, The Harris Poll avoids the words margin of error as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in our panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

The results of this Harris Poll may not be used in advertising, marketing or promotion without the prior written permission of The Harris Poll.

Product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

The Harris Poll^® #11, February 11, 2015

By Allyssa Birth, Senior Research Analyst, The Harris Poll