Store Brand Purchase in the Italian Market

The paper analyzes the degree of importance of Store Brand purchase determinants for the consumer. In particular, the research focuses on two specific shopper segments (hypermarket shopper and supermarket shopper) in order to evaluate the existence of any significant differences between their product evaluations. Telephone interviews, based on a structured questionnaire, were conducted with a sample of consumers responsible for family purchases and buyers of Store Brand products. For the majority of the purchasing determinants investigated, the results show a significant difference in opinion between those buying Store Brand products in hypermarkets and those in supermarkets. The difference found between shopper profiles has significant managerial implications that could be useful for determining Store Brand management policies. This paper also contributes to the academic debate on the role of Store Brand in the retail market.