Bite-sized bonds: Navigating the influences on food gift selections
In a world where sentiments are often expressed through flavors, the act of presenting food products as gifts has become increasingly common. Whether it's a meticulously curated basket of artisanal chocolates, a selection of rare spices, or a beautifully packaged assortment of gourmet treats, the choices we make when selecting food products as gifts for friends and family reflect our deepest affections. But what factors influence purchase decisions when consumers buy food products as gifts?
North America
A look at our North American respondents, reveals that while discounts are the most influential factors among consumers in the US (28%) and Canada (29%), this spot is occupied by brand reputation in Mexico (31%).
Notably, nearly a third of consumers in Mexico are likely to be influenced by recommendations or word-of-mouth (31%) compared to just a fifth of adults in the US and Canada (19% and 21% respectively). Similarly, Mexican respondents are almost twice as likely as their Northern counterparts to factor in sustainability considerations (15% in Mexico vs. 8% in the US and 9% in Canada).
Europe
Our polled European markets display fairly disparate opinions.
Compared to more than a third of consumers in Great Britain (36%), Italy (36%) and Spain (33%) who say they are influenced by brand reputation when buying food items as gifts, less than a fifth of consumers in Germany (16%) and Sweden (19%) say the same.
While recommendations are an influential factor for nearly a quarter of our respondents in Sweden and Spain (22% and 23%), this proportion falls to just 14% of consumers in Italy and Denmark, and 10% in Poland.
Consumers in Great Britain and Spain (9% and 10%) are the least likely of all European markets to factor in sustainability considerations of their food-based gifts.
APAC and MENA
Consumers in the UAE are likeliest to be influenced by brand reputation (33%) followed by discounts (26%) and word-of-mouth (19%).
Brand reputation is the most important factor for consumers who give food products as gifts in India (36%) and Singapore (32%). On the other hand, the top spot is occupied by discounts in Australia (32%), and recommendations in Indonesia (33%) and Hong Kong (38%).
Compared to nearly one in four adults in India who say they consider sustainability implications of food products as gifts (23%), less than a tenth of consumers in Singapore say the same (9%).
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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18+ years in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 501 and 2,004 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in October 2023. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov Surveys: Serviced.