• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, August 13, 2009

Value for the money and taste are the most-cited drivers of food-buying decisions around the world, a newly released study from Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods confirms.

Approximately 1,000 interviews were conducted in each of 22 countries in October and November last year, using Ipsos's Global @dvisor online survey panel. The survey asked about household and personal product purchases, as well as food purchases.

Asked which of a list of factors they consider when making a decision to buy a food product, 64% of consumers around the world cited value for the money, and the same percentage cited taste.

Americans were somewhat more inclined than average to cite these: 75% mentioned value and 72% taste.

French and Canadian consumers were most likely of all to cite value (81% and 79%, respectively), while Russians (51%) and Brazilians (52%) were least likely to do so.

Globally, quality ranked third, cited by 55%. However, quality ranked fourth among Americans (48%), who placed more emphasis on a product's expensiveness in comparison with other available products (57%). Expensiveness came in fourth on a global basis, cited by 50%.

Americans were also somewhat more inclined to cite preparation convenience than their global counterparts, while less inclined to cite a roster of other factors, including healthy ingredients and eco-friendliness.

Here are the comparative global average and U.S. frequencies for other factors in food-buying decisions: healthy ingredients (global, 44% vs. U.S., 35%); convenience of use (34% vs. 42%); extra vitamins and minerals to make my family healthier (32% vs. 28%); specific health benefits such as extra brain power or energy (30% vs. 23%); help family avoid/reduce obesity (27% vs. 25%); product made in an eco-friendly way (26% vs. 14%); none of the above ( 7% vs. 9%).

What about influencers of household and personal product buying decisions?

Again, value came out on top, also cited by 64% on a global basis. And again, value was cited by even more Americans (73%).

The same reverse pattern in terms of global and American emphases on quality versus expensiveness emerged with these types of products as well. Globally, 54% cited quality and 49% expensiveness, while among Americans, 42% cited quality and 54% expensiveness.

The full global sample and the American sample ranked the rest of the factors involved in household/personal products the same, although the percentages varied a bit: convenience of use (48% global vs. 43% U.S.); if using product will harm the environment (33% vs. 25%); if product will add unnecessary chemicals to my home (30% vs. 25%); whether product is made in an eco-friendly way (27% vs. 20%); none of the above (9% vs. 14%).