Russia: Beer preferences of Yekaterinburg consumers

According to a survey results beer is the leader among alcohol-containing drinks in Yekaterinburg, Russia - it was named by 70% of the respondents. Age peculiarities of the sample influenced the popularity rating of other drinks. Second and third positions in this rating belong to soft drinks - wine and long-drinks (low-alcohol refreshers), which were mentioned by 41 and 26% of the pollees correspondingly. Only 19.5% of the respondents drink vodka. It is worth mentioning that every tenth respondent - that is, 13% of the polled - do not drink alcohol.

Study of consumer preferences of the young on Yekaterinburg beer market was executed by the marketing agency "BGS Group" in the period of April 28 to May 2, 2005. Special attention to the young consumers is predefined by high, and moreover, growing percentage of exactly this age group among the ardent beer-drinkers. City dwellers in the age of 15 to 24 were polled. Sample included 520 respondents.

Male and female respondents differ in their alcohol preferences. For example, share of beer-drinkers among male pollees is 82%, among female - 58%. Second popular drinks for men are traditionally hard drinks - vodka and cognac; when it comes to women they choose soft drinks - wine and long-drinks. Interesting enough, among female pollees wine is a serious competitor to beer - 50% of female respondents drink it.

Though preferences of city dwellers for beer brands differ top-of-mind and prompted knowledge ratings' indices are high. For example, index of the leader of top-of-mind rating - brand "Baltika (Baltic)" ("Brewery "Baltika" OJSC, Saint Petersburg) - reaches 73.5%, in prompted knowledge rating this brand was mentioned almost by every respondent - 97.49%.

Leader of top-of-mind rating brand "Baltika (Baltic)" along with the other brands of top five in this rating - "Klinskoe" ("SUN Interbrew Ltd."), "Stariy Melnik (Old Miller)" ("Moscow-Efes" Brewery, CJSC) and "Bochkaryev" ("Heineken Brewery" LLC, Saint Petersburg), keep their leadership also in prompted knowledge rating.

The same situation is discovered in segments of imported and licensed beer; top five of top-of-mind rating - "Miller", "Holsten" ("Kaluzhskaya Brewery" LLC), "Tuborg" ("Vena (Vienna)" OJSC, Saint Petersburg), "Lowenbrau" ("Heineken Brewery" LLC) and "Efes Pilsener" ("Moscow-Efes" Brewery, CJSC) - are the leaders in prompted knowledge rating.

On the whole positions of beer brands in consumption rating relate to those in knowledge ratings. Thus, the first two positions in consumption rating are hold by "Baltika" and "Klinskoe" - these brands are chosen by 25.19 and 7.41% of the pollees correspondingly.

The same peculiarities are true for consumption rating of imported and licensed beer. Still, there are certain deviations in gender groups. According to survey results we may suppose that men prefer domestic beer brands. Women in their turn more often choose imported and licensed beer brands. Concerning general sample it should also be mentioned that the young of Yekaterinburg are obviously more inclined to drink domestic (all-Russian) beer brands. Some adherence to local beer "Patra" brewed by "Patra", OJSC, Yekaterinburg, was found only in female group of respondents.

For most respondents the main factor determining choice of this or that brand is the taste of beer - this was the answer of 84.29% of young city dwellers. Price is predictably significant factor - 25% of all answers; opinion of friends is also a very important motive for the age group in focus - this factor determines the choice of 19.29% of the pollees. It should be mentioned that according to the respondents' opinion advertising and promotional events have no deep influence on consumer choice of beer - these factors were mentioned by 6.43 and 2.14% of the pollees correspondingly.

On the whole in Yekaterinburg consumers in the age of 15 to 24 are very well informed as for the existing beer brands - both domestic and licensed/imported; and are more inclined to drink domestic (all-Russian) beer brands. Besides the age group in focus is characterized by comparatively high percentage of beer drinkers whose preferences are determined by their own experience, as well as quality and price of beer and not by externalities like advertising or promotion.

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