The document summarizes key findings from a market research report on consumer shopping and pricing behaviors in Ireland. It finds that 82% of consumers shop around for prices, though people are less likely to compare prices for medical services. While price remains an important factor, convenience has become more influential in determining where people shop. Most consumers check product prices but are less likely to examine unit pricing. For groceries, price and convenience are top factors in store choice, and most shoppers now buy a mix of branded and own-brand goods.

1. National Consumer Agency Market Research Findings: Shopping and Pricing November 20 11 Research Conducted by

2. Key Findings Section 1: General Shopping and Pricing Section 2: Grocery Shopping Research Background and Methodology Profile of Sample Table of Contents

3. Key Findings

4. Key Findings 82% (  11 percentage points) of consumers say that they shop around, the number that do not has halved from 10% to 5% Almost 3 in 4 consumers (74%) do not compare prices in relation to doctors, hospitals and other medical providers 66% of consumers do not compare prices when purchasing from pharmacies Over the last year there has been a significant increase in convenience as a key influencing factor in determining where to shop , up 10% percentage points to 23%, whereas price has fallen 19% points, from 72% in June 2010 to 53% currently Over 4 in 5 (82%) check the price of products but consumers are less likely to check unit pricing with over 1 in 4 (28%) never doing so and less than 1 in 2 (47%) examining unit pricing sometimes or all the time

5. Key Findings – Grocery Shopping 4 in 5 (81%) shoppers now believe that you need to shop around in order to achieve the best value Price remains the number one determining factor in deciding where to carry out the main grocery shop, although falling by 9% points to 63%, with convenience considered the second most important factor, increasing by 5% points to 54% The average grocery shop now consists of 65% branded goods with the remaining 35% being own brand products. For own brand products , 37% of main grocery shoppers are primarily concerned with the quality of the product. The second biggest influencing factor as cited by 34% is price

6. Section 1: General Shopping and Pricing

7. Shopping Around (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) I always compare/shop around for better prices I sometimes compare/shop around for better prices 75% I very rarely compare/shop around for better prices I never compare/shop around for better prices % % % % % 67% 74% 71% 82% Comparison of prices

8. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – I (Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months) Convenience stores/ Newsagents % Online Ads Restaurants, Take-Aways, Hotels In-Store Ads Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper Leaflets received in home Don’t compare prices Pharmacies % % % % Clothing/ Footwear Supermarkets Recommendations

9. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – II (Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months) Online Ads In-Store Ads Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper Leaflets received in home Don’t compare prices Personal Care Doctors, Hospitals, Other Medical Petrol Stations Communication Services Pubs Recommendations – % % % % %

10. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – III (Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months) Online Ads In-Store Ads Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper Leaflets received in home Don’t compare prices Banking Products & Services Entertainment Outside the Home TV Service Provider Insurance Providers Energy Suppliers Recommendations % % % % %

11. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – IV (Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months) Online Ads In-Store Ads Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper Leaflets received in home Don’t compare prices Entertainment at Home Public Transport Furniture Stores Airlines Local Bin Authority Recommendations % % % % %

12. Most Influencing Factor in Determining Where to Shop When Comparing Prices – V (Base: All that have purchased from each sector in past 12 months) Online Ads In-Store Ads Media e.g. TV, Radio, Newspaper Leaflets received in home Don’t compare prices Education Providers Car Dealers Travel Agents Building & Related Services Recommendations % % % %

13. Key Influencing Factors in Determining Where to Shop May/June ‘11 % Price (Base: All Aged 15-74 – 1,000) Nov/Dec ‘09 Convenience Shopped there previously Service Other Don’t know June ‘09 % % % % June ‘10 Nov/Dec ‘10 Strongest Influencing Factor

14. Incidence of Checking Prices (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) All the time Receipts Unit pricing of products % Prices of products Special offers are accurately recorded on receipts % % % Sometimes Very rarely Never () = Nov/Dec 2010 82% (84%) 47% (51%) 71% (74%) 66% (71%) (38) (46) (9) (7) (16) (35) (25) (24) (11) (15) (42) (32) (31) (40) (15) (14)

15. Section 2: Grocery Shopping

16. Overall Awareness of the Price of Everyday Goods Total Nov/Dec ‘10 June ‘10 % % % (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) 71% aware of prices 74% 88% Very aware of the prices (5) Fairly aware of the prices (4) Don't really know the prices (3) Not at all aware of the prices (1) Somewhat unaware of the prices (2) (13) (43) (18) (15) (11) () = Nov/Dec 2010 May/June ‘11 % 85% All responsible for the main grocery shop – 502 (50%)

17. Attitudes to Supermarkets (Base: All main grocery shoppers - 502) Agree (4) Agree Strongly (5) Disagree (2) Disagree strongly (1) 47% 81% 65% You need to shop around in order to achieve the best value The supermarket that offers the best value for money changes week on week There is one supermarket that is cheaper than all the rest Neither/Nor (3) Mean Score 14 4.0 22 3.6 23 3.2

18. Main Reasons for Choice of Supermarket for Main Grocery Shop % Price Convenience Parking Late Night Opening Quality of Product Loyalty % % % % Support Local % (Base: All responsible for main grocery shop - 502)

19. Change in Shopping Behaviour & Incidence of Online Shopping (Base: All main grocery shoppers - 502) Once a week % % Every 2 weeks Every 3 weeks Once a month Less often Never Change within past 12 months Frequency of Shopping Online for Groceries Split my grocery shop across different retailers No longer do a main shop but a number of smaller shops Purchase more own brand products Choose a store dependent on the offers advertised Switched the store in which i do my main shop Do my grocery shopping online Purchase less items Nothing, there has been no change

20. Own Brand Versus Regular Brand % (Base: All main grocery shoppers – 502) Nov/Dec 2010 % June 2010 Own Brand Regular Brand % Nov/Dec 2009 Higher amongst Those who are not aware of the prices of everyday goods (69%). Males (70%). 55+ (69%). Own Brand Regular Brand Own Brand Regular Brand % May/June 2011 Own Brand Regular Brand Higher amongst Those who are not aware of the prices of everyday goods (74%). 55+ (71%). ABC/F50+(70%).

21. Own Brand Versus Regular Brand Preference – I (Base: All responsible for grocery shop who purchase each of the products) Beer Tea/Coffee Breakfast cereal Chocolate/ sweets Baby Products Yoghurts Bread Fresh meat Frozen meat Soft drinks ( ) = +/-% vs Nov/Dec 2010 (+10%) (+4%) (+4%) (+8%) (+5%) Regular brand Own brand Regular brand Own brand

22. Own Brand Versus Regular Brand Preference – II (Base: All responsible for grocery shop who purchase each of the products) Deli/Processed meat Butter/ spreads Toiletries Tinned/ frozen food Biscuits Juice drinks Milk Household cleaning products Toilet tissue/ kitchen towel (+7%) ( ) = +/-% vs Nov/Dec 2010 Regular brand Own brand Regular brand Own brand

23. Factors Which Influence Choice for Own Brand Products – Volumetric Analysis % Price Packaging Past Experience Advertising Don’t purchase own branded products Recommendations (Base: All main grocery shoppers – 502) Quality 15-24 year olds (41%) Higher Amongst

24. Reasons for Not Purchasing Own Brand Products within Different Sectors/Categories % (Base: All main grocery shoppers – 502) Full-time workers (50%). 45-54’s (48%), ABC1/F50+ (48%), Dublin (48%). Higher Amongst 55+ (37%) Happy with quality of existing product Happy with price of existing product Unsure of the quality of own brand equivalent Not familiar with/Aware of own brand equivalent Have been advised against own brand equivalent Own brand quality not as good as branded

25. Special Offer Seekers? (Base: All responsible for the grocery shop – 502) Select a particular store to visit based on special offers advertised Don't buy special offers % Visit your usual store and pick up special offers while you are there May/June ‘11 Nov/Dec ‘10 %

26. Research Background and Methodology

27. The research was conducted by means of face-to-face interviewing with 1,000 people between the ages of 15-74 To ensure that the data is nationally representative, quotas were applied on the basis of age, gender and social class Interviewing was conducted over a four week period in May/June 2011 A. Research Background and Methodology Nov/Dec 2007 Aug 2008 Nov/Dec 2008 Nov/Dec 2009 June 2010 Nov/December 2010 Benchmark Wave 4 Wave 5 Wave 1 Wave 2 Wave 6 Current Wave May/June 2011 Wave 7 May/June 2009 Wave 3

28. B. Profile of Sample – I (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) Male Female % % % % 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Dublin Rest of Leinster Munster Conn/ Ulster ABC1 F50+ C2DE F50- MAIN GROCERY SHOPPER Yes No

29. B. Profile of Sample – II – Main Grocery Shoppers (Base: All Mainly Responsible for Grocery Shopping in Home – 504) Male (49) Female (51) % % % % 15-24 (17) 25-34 (22) 35-44 (19) 45-54 (16) 55+ (26) ABC1 F50+ (48) C2DE F50- (52) ( ) = Total Sample Dublin (28) Rest of Leinster (26) Munster (28) Conn/ Ulster (18)

30. B. Profile of Sample – III – Internet Use (Base: All aged 15-74 – 1,000) USE INTERNET No Yes EVER PURCHASED ONLINE No Yes BANKING ONLINE No Yes (Base: All Internet Users - 750) (Base: All Internet Users - 750) () = figures from Nov/Dec 2010 (72%) (28%) (48%) (52%) (30%) (70%) % Yes % Yes % Yes Male Female 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Male Female 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Male Female 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+