#Japan #Minato, Tokyo #Seven Premium #Topvalu #Minna-sama

Investigating Consumer Perceptions of Leading Private Brands

Introduction

In recent years, supermarkets have increasingly focused on enhancing their private brand offerings. According to a recent survey conducted by Monitas, a company that supports market understanding and customer insights, it was found that approximately 81.9% of supermarkets will offer private label products by 2024. The motivations behind this shift vary, including securing gross profits, enhancing corporate brand value, and improving product safety and reliability. Among the brands surveyed, we focused on three primary players: Topvalu from Aeon, Seven Premium from Seven & I Holdings, and Minna-sama no Osumitsuki from Seiyu.

With 600 participants aged 20-79 from the Tokyo metropolitan area, the study sheds light on the differences between the brands’ intended messaging and the consumer perceptions.

Key Findings

Topvalu's Brand Image

For Topvalu, the positive perceptions overwhelmingly revolve around high cost performance (53.7%), a sense of trustworthiness (9.8%), and a wide selection of products (8.3%). Interestingly, the official website claims that “Topvalu brings new ideas and excitement to everyday life.” However, only 2.8% of respondents felt that Topvalu offered innovative products, indicating a potential gap between the brand's marketed intentions and consumer perception. While Topvalu positions itself as a provider of new ideas, consumers may not strongly associate the brand with innovation.

Seven Premium's Brand Image

When examining Seven Premium, the leading sentiments were about tastiness (29.0%), high quality (18.2%), and strong cost performance (13.9%). The company’s official website mentions that when the brand was launched in 2007, private label goods were considered cheaper but inferior in quality compared to national brands. However, Seven Premium has successfully overturned this stereotype by focusing on taste and reliability, which remains deeply ingrained in consumer minds even after nearly two decades.

Minna-sama no Osumitsuki's Brand Image

For Minna-sama no Osumitsuki, consumers rated its positive attributes similarly with high cost performance (42.2%), trustworthiness (11.3%), and good selection (9.7%). Both Minna-sama no Osumitsuki and Topvalu share similar top ratings; however, Minna-sama's metrics showed more diverse perception breakdowns. Seiyu’s emphasis on adding value beyond just low prices, such as convenience and health, appears to resonate well with consumers, further shaping their perception positively.

Comparative Analysis

Looking at the comparative metrics between Topvalu and Minna-sama no Osumitsuki, it becomes evident that while Topvalu leads with its cost-performance image by 11.1 points, Minna-sama's more varied perception indicates a broader resonance with consumers. This requires supermarkets to understand how customers perceive private brands distinctly from their intended brand messages. Developing brand strategies should involve thorough research and careful consideration to align with consumer insights.

Conclusion

The study conducted by Monitas highlights the need for supermarkets to align their private brands with consumer expectations. As consumer preferences evolve, brands must be cognizant of how their identities are perceived versus what they aim to communicate. Tools like Supercolo, developed by Monitas, offer companies a streamlined solution for visualizing customer understanding and market conditions, enabling necessary adjustments to branding strategies.
By integrating customer feedback, brands can create a cohesive strategy that resonates with consumers’ perceptions, thus enhancing their market presence.

For more insights and market research assistance, you can visit the Supercolo service site.

Research Methodology Overview

• - Survey Method: Internet research targeting residents aged 20-79 in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
• - Survey Period: March 19 - 25, 2025
• - Valid Responses: 600 participants

For inquiries on the study, contact Monitas via [email protected].