ISRA Center Study – Romanian version
Consumer purchase behavior & coping strategies in the context of rising prices Inflation’s impact is undeniable: 9 out of 10 Romanian people are affected by the rising prices. The current social and economic context is shaped not only by the exploding prices, but it is also under the influence of post-pandemic changes and of the huge pressure of the Ukrainian war, felt on all levels: political, economic, social and psychological. All these collective traumas in such a short period of time led to a multi-crisis which leaves its mark on our mental state: we are living under pressure, panic and stress. The only thing we can do is to find coping strategies.
But how do these coping strategies translate in terms of shopping and consumption behavior?
First of all, through a modification of the shopping behavior: 75% of the consumers state they have already changed their shopping behavior because of the inflation, with a higher percentage among women and consumers with lower level of education and lower income.The main changes are: buying in smaller quantities (58%), a higher attention paid to promotions (55%), buying certain products less often (48%) or giving up certain product categories (44%). Another shopping strategy is the implementation of a “mindful shopping”, meaning carefully planned and organized shopping sessions.
An important exclamation mark rises when it comes to brand loyalty: 45% of the consumers have already bought cheaper brands, while 14% declare they intend to try cheaper brands, with a higher propensity among consumers with a lower education level.
Changes have also emerged in the area of consumption behavior, some being a continuation of the changes during the pandemic. Home cooking as well as packed lunch for work are important strategies for saving, by avoiding food orders or eating out. To these are added avoiding food waste by consuming first the foods closer to expiration date, replacing some expensive foods with other cheaper versions and using up the whole product inside the package before buying a new one.
About the study: ethnographic qualitative research & hybrid quantitative research (f2f CAPI – 50% & online panel – 50%; N=1734, U>50k)
Data collection period: September 2022
PDF Report: ISRA Study – Romanian Consumer Purchase Behavior & Coping Strategies (Sept 2022)
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