Estudio De Mercado

Q&A: Consumer Loyalty after the Recession

Euromonitor International 03 August 2011

Among the main consequences of recession was the loss of consumer loyalty. Consumers from every country and all social classes changed their traditional brand preferences without feeling remorse. Loyalty waned and new, opportunistic brands appeared such as private labels, own brands, pricing-and-discountportals and others. “Brand sluts” are still present in countries that already left recession behind, but in most cases the companies themselves are to blame for much of this disloyalty. While many brands are fighting back with promotions and other marketing devices in order to recover trust and loyalty from their old consumers, a new species has appeared around the globe. It is a more thoughtful,careful, mature and ruthless consumer, who knows prices and loves discounts. But – just as usual in the consumption world – some secrets are still captivating. • • • • How did the recession impact on consumer loyalty? Who benefits from the losses endured by big brands? How can consumer loyalty be recovered? Will the impact of the recession on consumer loyalty endure?

HOW DID THE RECESSION IMPACTON CONSUMER LOYALTY?
• The crisis and its immediate aftermath took their toll on brand loyalty. This means there is a different bond between loyal clients and their companies – habits have changed. The first step in loyalty loss is brand replacement. The frequency, place and moment for shopping have also been altered, as well as the payment options and the people who paid for it. The crisis hasturned consumers less loyal and, in a few words, this means that their custom has become “unpredictable”; The USA was one of the first markets to experience the impact recession had on loyalty. In June 2009, Pointer Media Network – a consultant from Catalina Marketing Crop, which compiles shopping information in 23,000 stores throughout the country – published a large report on the subject. It had arash conclusion: Only four out of ten brands kept at least half of their highly loyal clients between 2007 and 2008. The briefing was based on shopping-behaviour analysis of 32 million consumers and 685 leading brands. Pointer claims 48% of highly loyal clients maintained this pattern during the whole period of analysis, while 19% reduced their loyalty and 33% changed their brands in the samecategory; Several studies have shown that there are no constant features when analysing fidelity, although satisfaction, perceived value, the sense of saving money contributed by the brand and the type of product do have their influence over it. Consumers around the world have reportedly shown themselves as more loyal in the case of concrete events or deeply rooted habits. For example, the Chamber ofSpanish Marzipan and Nougat Candy Manufacturers (TUMA) revealed last December that despite the economic downturn experienced by the country, nougat consumption rates reached 89.75% at Christmas, close to the historic average. “The loyalty of Spanish consumers to a traditional, seasonal product is the key for a better understanding of the solidity of its consumption,” the head of TUMA said.

••

WHO BENEFITS FROM THE LOSSES ENDURED BY BIG BRANDS?
• Although many consumers reduce shopping in times of crisis, loyalty loss does not necessarily imply that; consumers may change their chosen brand, type of product or justification for buying something instead. Even as the crisis is left behind, private labels and own brands have increased their number of supporters over the past fewyears. In North America, retailers such as Kroger, Safeway and Wal-Mart have conducted aggressive expansion campaigns of their own brands, local media have reported. These products are frequently cheaper than those from traditional brands and they appeal to consumers who want to make the best out of every penny, many of whom have lost their loyalty to leading brands. In Europe, large stores such as...