The French also adjust their eating habits

The year 2009 has been pivotal for consumption. And 2010 surprises no doubt some new marketing specialists. As behaviors seem to evolve fast. As if the French had understood that the only way to respond to a crisis as protean was to adapt constantly their ways to purchase. Result: what seem reserved to a fringe limited population will diffuse more quickly. And emerging phenomena metamorphose into real trends. If the urge to consume continues, it follows new paths.

1. The return to the basic

The quest for the essence has never been more topical. Half of the French recognizes have learned to consume less did any how, according to the latest Gfk barometer on the crisis. And before you buy, the same proportion arise more questions like: "what do I really need" or "is that it is solid, good quality, is that it will take a long time" indicates, on his side, a study of the crisis and consumption conducted by Euro RSCG C & O, in partnership with Harris Interactive.

The new rush store Uniqlo, opened in early October next to the Opera in Paris, brought evidence of this desire to spend useful. The Japanese sign offers indeed with basic ranging from warm underwear to cashmere sweaters. While at the same time, the model H & M, more surfing on the phenomena of fashion, is experiencing a slight shortness of breath, with a global decline in sales comparable surface.

The French also adjust their eating habits. This means for example, in Picard, by a progression of sales of raw cooking products. "We had reviewed all the offers." "Today, it must be more than ever in the daily life of people, by offering attractive products to purchase but also allowing them to be fun", notes Patricia Guyot, commercial Director.

2 Close races

The French want to do their shopping in them. It is a major criterion for 78 of them, according to SIMM 2009 TNS Media Intelligence. Half of consumers dream to go there on foot or by public transport, against only 30 in 2002. And shopping in downtown progresses. It is one of the factors making suffer shopping centres. Their index of attendance was down in November of 3.6 on 12 sliding months, according to their national Council.

In the future, the first desire of consumers is to have more than small supermarkets in the quarters, according to SIMM. He added expectations for services. And in some drills the desire to recreate a connection with the merchant.

3. The loss of benchmarks with the price

The consumer wants to have his money... all with less pricing benchmarks, found Danielle Rapoport, Director of the Office of studies and Council CID. It must be said that just complicates the decryption: the difference in rates between the Internet and stores, the introduction of floating balances which multiply the opportunities labels down or promotions all over the place.

Result: "the perceived value of a product aggregates of multiple elements and the price is the only sign level of range," said Dominique Lévy, Associate Director and Director of strategic planning TNS Sofres. While the promotions on the quantities are perceived by part of the population such as promoting the waste.

4. The rise of the opportunity

Sell or buy products from opportunity came in morals. Taboos are definitively fallen. The resale of Christmas on the Internet comes to testify, with scores of products offered online never matched. But the phenomenon has grown well beyond the holiday season. More than two out of three French had engaged in 2009 in transactions between individuals, on the Internet as in vacuum-attics, according to the barometer of CtoC PriceMinister - post, produced by the Institute OpinionWay. The most purchased products: books, followed by DVDs and clothing.

"This taste for commerce between consumers also participates of the desire to recycle, put in the loop of the products that you no longer use", observes, moreover, Philippe Le Magueresse, Director of marketing at OpinionWay studies. An argument which happens before the price reduced.

5. The sustainable: Yes, but!

Sustainable development in all its forms has taken the significance in the concerns of the French. In the reasons of loyalty to a brand, if offering good deals and privileges is at the top, it is immediately followed by concern for the environment and the manufacture of the products in respect of the human", according to the study of Euro RSCG C & O. This year, 85 households, or 1 million more than in 2008, have purchased at least once a product organic, green, or fair, according to TNS Worldpanel.

But these lines is still only 2 of the household budget. And it continues to see a gap between the declarations of intent and the reality of the field. Advertising & society study conducted by TNS Sofres for the Agency Australia, the French believe that communication of brands is already sufficiently green.