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Despite the challenging economic environment, consumers are still keen to indulge their taste for the finer things in life, according to new research released today by TNS.

The Commitment Economy, an independent global survey of over 39,000 people in 17 markets, reveals that a combination of increased spending among current sparkling wine drinkers and new drinkers in the developing world is presenting manufacturers with an opportunity to entice consumers away from traditional alcohol favorites.

TNS’s unique modelling exercise found that Champagne and other sparkling wines could increase their overall share of total drinking occasions from 5.1 percent to 7.8 percent if all those who wanted to drink them were able to. In the U.S., there is potential for this share to grow 3.0 percent from 3.5 percent to 6.5 percent as consumers buy into these drinks for their taste, sophistication and the indulgence they afford.

Jan Hofmeyr, Chief Researcher, Behaviour Change, at TNS said, “While we can see a huge worldwide appetite to drink more sparkling wine and Champagne, most people are still held back by cost. These drinks are perceived as indulgences, enjoyed mainly on special occasions. The good news for winemakers is that people consider sparkling wines both taste better and offer greater enjoyment than other alcoholic drinks. So, if affordable sparkling wines can be made more accessible and be positioned as a drink for celebrating life rather than only special occasions, the sector has a sparkling future.”

Of all the markets studied, Spain was the only one where consumption of sparkling wines is set to decline, with a potential 0.4% drop in market share. However, with increasing international demand, Spanish wine producers need not fear if their distribution model is right.

Jan continues, “The study does not indicate that consumers plan to increase their alcohol consumption overall, more that they would like to drink sparkling wines more regularly. Manufacturers of other alcoholic drinks should take note, as they will need to build loyalty and commitment to ensure their own market share is not affected by this desire to drink more fizz.”

The Commitment Economy is a global study conducted by TNS using the ConversionModel tool (see details below) to explore brand and category dynamics in different categories across 17 markets, based on conversations with over 39,000 people. The study is conducted at its own cost by TNS.

It provides deep insights into emotional engagement, brand commitment and the real drivers of brand choice, identifying where the biggest growth opportunities lie for brands and how to exploit them.

The Commitment Economy covers the following categories: Automotive, Alcoholic Beverages, Coffee, Haircare, Headache Remedies, Laundry Detergents, Payment Methods and Retail. The following markets were included in the study: USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Australia, South Africa, Nigeria, Indonesia, Turkey, Poland.

ConversionModel™ is the proprietary tool used to measure and reflect consumer behaviour in order to build commitment. ConversionModel evaluates the two critical factors affecting brand choice; power in the mind (how people feel about a brand) and power in the market (factors like price and availability). It provides detailed insights into brand and category dynamics and spending patterns, based on an understanding of individual customers. More widely validated than any other model, it provides the most accurate understanding of individual buying behaviour linked to market share shifts.

Methodology

TNS questioned over 39,000 people in 17 countries. A total of 9776 people were interviewed about alcohol drinks.

The ‘potential growth value’ figure is calculated by establishing the equity gap between the share that each person awards a particular drink currently and the share which we believe they should give to them based on the level of commitment/aspiration they have for that drink.

Current share is calculated by asking a question that establishes which type of drink an individual consumed on the last ten consumption occasions. Commitment is measured through a series of questions which measure levels of satisfaction, drink type engagement and competitor appeal.

People are considered potential opportunities if their Power in the Mind for a type of drink exceeds their current share; they are considered at risk if their current share exceeds their Power in the Mind. They are considered steady if their two values are roughly equivalent.

About TNS

TNS advises clients on specific growth strategies around new market entry, innovation, brand switching and stakeholder management, based on long-established expertise and market-leading solutions. With a presence in over 80 countries, TNS has more conversations with the world’s consumers than anyone else and understands individual human behaviours and attitudes across every cultural, economic and political region of the world.

TNS is part of Kantar, one of the world’s largest insight, information and consultancy groups. Please visit www.tnsglobal.com for more information.

About Kantar

Kantar is one of the world’s largest insight, information and consultancy groups. By uniting the diverse talents of its 13 specialist companies, the group aims to become the pre-eminent provider of compelling and inspirational insights for the global business community. Its 28,500 employees work across 100 countries and across the whole spectrum of research and consultancy disciplines, enabling the group to offer clients business insights at each and every point of the consumer cycle. The group’s services are employed by over half of the Fortune Top 500 companies.

For further information, please visit us at www.kantar.com

Biographies

Jan Hofmeyr is TNS’s leading expert on consumer behaviour, with a career spanning 20 years advising many of the world’s best-known brands. He invented Conversion Model whilst working for the Customer Equity Company (acquired by TNS in 2000), recognising a need for better quality insight on consumer motivations. In 2010, following a period of five years, Jan returned to TNS to continue his work in this field, updating the Conversion Model methodology to cement its position as the world’s leading measure of customer commitment.

Prior to working in market research, Jan was a senior political advisor for the African National Congress during and after the first democratic elections in South Africa. He is the co-author (with Butch Rice) of Commitment Led Marketing and the author of numerous, award-winning papers on brand equity.