Gap narrows for Chinese brands

Chinese brands are closing the gap with international brands as consumers become more concerned about product quality rather than the origin of the brands, according to a latest study.

As high as 67 percent of consumers said they favor domestic brands, consumer research firm Mintel said in a research report yesterday.

The study covered 3,000 consumers aged between 20 and 49 in 10 cities.

The domestic food and beverage brands have a strong following, with 42 percent of the respondents favoring them over foreign products compared with 25 percent that prefer imported snacks.

For domestic ready-to-drink beverage brands, 44 percent of consumers prefer them against 27 percent that favor foreign products.

Baby food is an exception with 45 percent of respondents saying they would choose international brands against only 31 percent who favor domestic products.

“We’ve seen Chinese consumers becoming more value-driven, as they’re more likely to judge a product by its content and quality instead of checking whether it’s an international or domestic brand,” said Laural Gu, Mintel China’s senior lifestyle analyst.

The study also found that 47 percent of the consumers were more willing to indulge themselves by paying for services instead of products.