Only 18% of Romanians buy dairy products from local producers. Study by Reveal Marketing Research on dairy consumption among Romanians

• 36% of Romanians said they usually buy the same brand of dairy.
• Only 18% of respondents say they go directly to local producers to buy dairy products. Most Romanians (57%) prefer retail chains.
• One-third of Romanians (33%) consume milk daily or almost daily.

Dairy consumption has many health benefits, being a good source of calcium, protein, and vitamins for the body. Consumption behaviors have changed a lot in the context of the pandemic, and people have become more attentive to their health, including food. Reveal Marketing Research conducted a study on the consumption of dairy products among Romanians: from consumption behavior to brand loyalty and favorite products.

How often do Romanians consume dairy products?

On average, 16% of Romanians consume daily or almost daily dairy, and 19% of them say they have an average of 2-3 times a week. Only 6% of respondents say they never consume dairy products. The most avoided product by respondents is margarine – 30% of them say they never eat this product. The elderly are the ones who say the most who do not prefer margarine – almost half (49%) have selected this option.

When it comes to the categories of products preferred by Romanians, the first place is taken by milk – consumed daily by a third of Romanians (33%). Other products included by Romanians in their daily diet are yogurt or kefir / whipped milk products (mentioned by 21%), butter (mentioned by 20%), and Telemea cheese (mentioned by 18%).

Do Romanians buy dairy products from the market and local producers?

Reveal Marketing Research data shows that in general, Romanians prefer to buy dairy products from the modern trade (supermarkets or hypermarkets), to the detriment of nearby stores. Asked where they prefer to buy each category of dairy products, on average, 57% of respondents say they prefer to go to the supermarket, compared to only 18% who say they go to the market to buy dairy. Modern trade shops are preferred by an average of 16% of Romanians, and only 9% of respondents say they do not buy dairy products at all.

Almost half of Romanians (49%) say that they usually buy milk from the supermarket/hypermarket, and 30% rather buy it from the market. We notice that 1 in 3 Romanians does not buy margarine at all. Although store chains are mostly preferred by Romanians, a quarter of them (25%) say they prefer to buy sour cream, for example, directly from a local producer.

How loyal are Romanians to their favorite brands of dairy products?

Asked how loyal they are when it comes to choosing dairy products in general, 36% of Romanians said they usually buy the same brand, regardless of the promotions on the shelf. 46% of respondents say they alternate the same brands, depending on promotions found in the store. Instead, only 12% of Romanians say they buy dairy products, depending on the promotions on the shelf, and do not always buy the same brand. Only 6% of respondents say they look at other criteria when shopping for dairy and do not buy the same brands. Their choice is influenced by advertisements, attractive packaging, or the product’s ingredients.

Larger quantity at the same price: the most attractive offers for Romanians

Asked which milk packages are the most attractive for Romanians, on average, most Romanians (53%) said they prefer quantity packages, such as receiving 20% ​​more for the same price. Following are packages with the same product (for example, 3 + 1 free, 1 + 1 free) which were mentioned by an average of 37% of respondents. Complementary packages are less attractive (for example, milk + cereals) – only 10% on average of Romanians have selected this answer.

Dairy consumption behavior in the context of the pandemic. What has changed?

The study also aimed to investigate the changes brought about by the pandemic regarding the criteria for choosing dairy products. For 60% of Romanians, the new context did not bring changes in their purchasing behaviors. They say they still buy the same dairy products as before the pandemic broke out. The remaining 40% say that some changes have taken place – 36% say that in addition to the products they bought before, products considered healthier are added to the basket and 4% say they now buy completely other products than before – products considered to be healthier.

The method used was CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) and 1011 online interviews were conducted with respondents over the age of 18, online users, on a nationally representative urban and rural sample between January 19-25, 2021. Sampling error +/- 3%. Confidence level: 95%.