Investigation of taste perception of store brands: Implications in terms of marketing communication

Abstract

In an increasingly competitive retail market, retailers have turn to focus on their
brand perceptions in an attempt to further
differentiate themselves from competitors
and create a distinctive retail offer, through
the manipulation of tangible and intangible
assets. This article investigates perceptions
of store brands (SBs), compared to
national brands, in order to offer implications in terms of marketing communication. Two focus groups with taste tests
were undertaken and analyzed to assess
the perceptions of the investigated brands.
The results of the content analysis indicated an increasing positive perception of
SBs among consumers. According to the
taste test results, the national brand is overall better evaluated than the SB in terms of
taste and quality based on the non blind
taste test. However, the results of the blind
taste test showed that the SB is better rated
than the national brand in terms of taste
quality. Theoretical implications of this
study are providing better understanding
of SBs in terms of consumer perception
whereas managerial implications are indicating to focus on SB’ intrinsic quality in SB
marketing communication