According to The Futures Company's 2010 Global MONITOR Study, Consumers Have Begun to Look Beyond the Recession Era Focus on Price

LONDON, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- As a new normal of more considered consumption emerges, the latest 2010 Global MONITOR research reveals the first stirrings of an accompanying shift in consumer attitudes about price. The priority that consumers placed on price during the recession has weakened a bit during the past year.

The 2010 Global MONITOR research in 20 countries around the world finds a drop in the global average to 53% agreeing that "price is more important to me than brand names" (down from 57% in 2009). The research also points to a renewed sense of trust and reassurance in the quality of name brand goods and services as more consumers look to name brands in the belief that they represent a mark of tried and tested quality. 39% agree with the statement that "it's best to buy famous brands because you can rely on their quality" (up from 34% in 2009).

Says J. Walker Smith, Executive Chairman of The Futures Company, "While these changes are small, they are nevertheless notable, for they signal the start of a longawaited reversal in attitudes. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that just because consumers are still tightening their belts doesn't mean they don't want name brand quality."

Smith continues, "Consumers are practicing prioritization not frugality. If your brand is at the bottom of the priority list where price pressures predominate, it looks like frugality to you. But the real dynamic at work is prioritization. Consumers will step up for the things that matter most to them. Frugality is a coping mechanism not an aspiration."

Smith concludes, "These changes in attitudes about price and name brands are consistent with other trends tracked by Global MONITOR such as the inching-up over the past 3 years in the percentage of people interested in brands that practice social responsibility or that deliver innovative wellness benefits."

For further information, please contact:

(US) Simon Kaplan on +1-919-932-8858 or email [email protected]

(UK) Jennifer Childs on +44 (0)20 7955 1824 or email [email protected]

Editor's notes

About The Futures Company

The Futures Company is a global trends and futures consultancy, formed in 2008 from the coming together of Henley Centre HeadlightVision and Yankelovich. Through a combination of syndicated insight services and bespoke research and consultancy, our mission is 'Unlocking Futures' for our clients. By exploring the future needs, motivations and behaviours of consumers, and the broader dynamics in the marketplace, we unlock the future of consumers, categories, brands and companies.

About Global MONITOR

Now in its third year, our Global MONITOR 2010 insights service offers a road map for navigating post-recession consumer behaviours. Our ongoing tracking of the emerging trends shaping the recovery marketplace provides a framework of action for marketers looking to move quickly yet smartly in a fundamentally changed marketplace, defining the new boundaries of competition, the new brand requirements of value and the new aspirations of success.

Global MONITOR encompasses: a quantitative global survey of over 27,000 consumers in 20 countries; the Global Energies – a conceptual trends framework to structure key insights and identify new growth platforms; and Global Streetscapes, our interactive and continually updated database of examples of consumer and brand behaviour that bring the trends to life. The unique combination of quantitative and qualitative data creates robust and inspiring insight into future-facing trends.

Global MONITOR can help refine brand positioning and marketing communications, fuel innovation and ideation, deepen understanding of key market issues and provide thought leadership on consumer issues. To find out how you can access these resources on a global or market-by-market basis to unlock your future growth, please see http://www.thefuturescompany.com/page/Global_MONITOR/ for more details.

SOURCE The Futures Company