Switzerland buys locally and sustainably

Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of the Swiss say they prefer to buy local brands as this supports the local economy. Only 6 percent disagree with this statement. These are the findings of the Global Brand Origin study by Nielsen, a global performance management company that provides information and insights on consumer media and consumption behavior. The study examined how consumers in 61 countries around the world feel about buying products from local and global brands.

"Our study shows that the origin of products is a crucial factor for consumers," says Judith Kuiper, managing director of Nielsen Switzerland. "Even though online retailing enables borderless shopping in many markets, consumers pay attention to where brands come from. Place of origin is thus becoming an increasingly important differentiator. In Switzerland, Made in Switzerland brands are popular and often preferred over global brands."

Preferences: Fresh produce, chocolate, water, ice cream

In the food sector, consumers look for local brands above all in fresh products (fruit/vegetables/meat/milk/yogurt, etc.), which is naturally determined by the range on offer. However, local origin also scores highly in product groups such as chocolate, water/fruit juice, ice cream, biscuits, breakfast cereals, potato chips and baby food. Even though the Swiss appreciate local brands, their preference for local brands does not fit all products. Global brands are preferred for technical devices, for example, but also for clothing and cars. "For technology, consumers often prefer global brands. Here, of course, it also plays a role whether local brands exist at all. After all, computers and other consumer electronics in particular come primarily from Asian or American markets," Judith Kuiper summarizes.

Support the local economy and individuality

65 percent of the Swiss buy local brands in order to contribute to the local industry. A further 52 percent believe that local brands meet individual needs better than global brands (Europe 47 percent). 50 percent of the Swiss also agree with the statement that local brands are more trustworthy than global brands - the European average is less strongly perceived, with 44 percent agreeing. Judith Kuiper: "In many countries, global brands are seen as a guarantee of good quality and safety. In Switzerland, this is not necessarily the case. This is because Swiss products themselves have a very high standard. That's why consumers often prefer local brands."

Taste, naturalness and a good price / performance ratio

In terms of product attributes, the main argument used by the Swiss for buying local brand products is better/more individual taste (30 percent, Europe: 23 percent). This is followed by value for money (30 percent, Europe: 43 percent), organic/naturalness (30 percent, Europe: 21 percent) and sustainability (29 percent, Europe 19 percent). It is striking that naturalness and sustainability are much more important than in Europe. Packaging is unimportant in terms of product characteristics (6 percent, Europe 4 percent). When deciding to buy a global brand, the better price-performance ratio is by far the most important purchase criterion (46 percent, Europe 49 percent).