ASIA PACIFIC. Pi Insight has released findings from its research study into confectionery shopper motivations and influences in the Asian duty free arrivals market. This follows research into the wines & spirits and beauty categories.
As reported, the research agency has conducted over 5,200 15-minute quantitative interviews with recent Asian arrivals shoppers, including 1,000 confectionery buyers. This was supported by qualitative interviews to provide a detailed understanding of the channel across the beauty, liquor, confectionery and tobacco categories.
Pi Insight’s findings for the category profiled the Asian arrivals confectionery shopper, of whom 53% were female and more than half are aged over 35. It also found that 71% of these confectionery buyers travelled regularly for leisure and that 24% took four or more flights per year.
The research found that chocolate is the dominant sub-category and featured in 82% of purchases, but there is also interest in candy/sweets and biscuits. The average category spend is US$25.
Of the four categories researched for the study (liquor, beauty, confectionery and tobacco), confectionery purchases are the most likely to be impulsive. 42% of confectionery purchases are on impulse and 58% are planned; 27% of buyers that have planned their purchase know the exact item they will buy. This demonstrates a high level of openness to in-store influence, Pi Insight said.
The Asian duty free arrivals confectionery shopper is also more open to experimenting with new brands than the shopper in other categories; 54% of shoppers planned to buy a non-regular confectionery brand.
High quality is the most important purchase driver in confectionery, with 40% of buyers identifying this as a motivation. Cheaper prices were less of a priority compared to other categories.
Pi Insight Founder Stephen Hillam said: “Driving immediate attraction is key to driving conversion among the Asian duty free arrivals confectionery shopper, due to their impulsive nature and low levels of planning.
“This is a shopper who is seeking out an opportunity to indulge and, while they desire the familiarity of well-known or international brands, they are also open to experimenting, which highlights the clear opportunity this channel presents for driving increased brand familiarity and uptake.”
