The impact of private-label assortment shelf proportion on store brand preference

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of private-label shelf assortment proportion on consumer preferences for store brands in Portugal, specifically within selected product categories. With the rise in private-label shopping attributed to economic challenges, the research aims to uncover how retailers can explore this aspect to improve consumer preferences. To achieve this, the research aims to find out how the levels of private-label proportion in product assortments make a difference in consumer preferences and perceptions of said store brand. This study also tries to provide insights into the mediation effect of Brand Equity between shelf proportion and store brand preference, providing retailers a clear path on how to enhance their strategy. An exploratory survey was created to explore respondents' perceptions and opinions of different stimuli developed based on Portuguese retailers. Secondary data was collected through a Literature Review and explored in order to explore the possibilities of a relationship between the survey analysis and previous studies. Surprisingly, the study reveals that the Shelf proportion of private-labels does not significantly impact Store Brand Equity, challenging conventional expectations. Additionally, consumer awareness and perceived quality are understood to play pivotal roles in influencing Store Brand Preference, while Store Brand Equity proves to be the strongest factor. In addition, the study revealed a significant impact of Private-label shelf assortment proportion on Store Brand Performance.

Date of Award	23 Jan 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Paulo Romeiro (Supervisor)