One might expect price or taste to be the primary considerations when purchasing any food items, including beer and wine, but consumer research in the UK has shown that neither characteristic is more important to shoppers than brand is. 62% of men rate the brand of their beer as the most important consideration when purchasing it. Only 20% of men feel that price is the most important factor (30% of women rate price as a primary concern). It seems that label recognition is just as important when it comes to beer as when it comes to buying designer clothes.
To counteract this, more stores and bottle shops have been using special pricing to try to get consumers to buy certain brands. 33% of shoppers say that "they would be encouraged to go for a good 'offer' on a brand of beer that was not their first choice," almost double the percentage from last year. As a result, beer is sold in increasingly larger packaging, and although the bottles are smaller, to give the impression of value. The same applies to wine, where consumers look for promotions and money-off deals when making their purchases.
New York Times Magazine's food issue
Chicken McNuggets frolic at New York City pet store
Eat your broccoli orbs! 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-02-2007 @ 5:29PM
Marc said...
Ummm, how about the idea that people choose a brand of beer because it has a flavor they like, not because it's a fashion statement?
Reply
1-02-2007 @ 6:47PM
ryan said...
Ummm, New Castle - my favorite...Didn't know i was looking cool also when i drank it :-)
I wonder what brand of cigarettes make me look the coolest ;-)
Reply
1-02-2007 @ 7:06PM
vinz said...
i would never buy the cheap beer which is sold in cans at discounters.
1. because its the "cheap" beer
2. beer in cans is really really disgusting
Reply
1-02-2007 @ 11:14PM
Nikole said...
I loved New Castle until I got a skunky six pack that smelled like sewage. I'm afraid to try it again. Back to pear cider for me.
Reply
1-03-2007 @ 3:28AM
Chris Tibble said...
Guys - why the space between New and castle?
It's Newcastle Brown Ale... You just used up all your cool points for drinkinng it with that mistake!
If you want to get you cool back - just call it Dog. All the geordies (people from Newcastle) I know call it that. Just go into your local pub and say (repeat after me) Howaa - Bottle o Dog Bormun, chee-as. Job done - you've just reached Northeastern Ubercool!
Chris
Reply
1-03-2007 @ 4:05PM
righteye said...
Branded beers are safe and predictable, which is why people like them. It seems to me that here in the UK, most people are drinking lagers rather than more traditional British bitters and I suppose this is because these beers are strongly branded and heavily advertised. Its easy to choose a branded lager in the hope of looking fashionable. Safe drinks for the Townies in the big chain pubs in the middle of every city in the country.
Me? I drink Stella.....only joking...I'm the opposite - I like the traditional stuff...bitters from smaller regional brewers. Pint of Landlord or Ram Tam anyone?
Reply