Reveal Marketing Research study: This Easter half of Romanians will bake the sweet bread in their own kitchens

• 38% of Romanians consume white bread daily, although, in large quantities, it can have a negative effect on health.
• 36% of respondents said that in the last 12 months they have prepared bread or other similar products in their own kitchen.
• This Easter half of Romanians intend to bake the sweet bread in their own kitchens and they won’t buy them from the supermarket or hypermarket.
• If they choose to buy the sweet bread, 89% of consumers say they prefer Romanian brands, which have traditional recipes, to the detriment of the international ones.

Context

Romania has the highest individual consumption level of bread in the EU, but also the lowest price on this product, being 47% cheaper than the European average, according to Eurostat data. We export bakery products to Europe, but also outside the continent, including sweet bread and frozen products. Considering this context, as well as the upcoming Easter holidays that may influence the purchase decision, Reveal Marketing Research conducted a study on Romanians’ consumption habits regarding bakery products.

38% of Romanians consume white bread daily, although, in large quantities, it can have a negative effect on health

White bread is most preferred by Romanians, so 38% of consumers say they eat it daily. In terms of bread types, 37% of the respondents say that the sliced ​​/ packaged bread is every day on their table, followed by the loaf of bread mentioned by 33%. We see that Romanians are big consumers of bakery products, but they prefer to buy, not to prepare them themselves. Thus, 70% of respondents buy them from physical stores, especially sliced ​​/ packaged bread (88%), pretzels (85%), loaf of bread (80%) and bagels (78%). Although online orders continue to increase, when it comes to bakery products, only 3% choose this option.

Because in the last year consumption habits have changed considerably and we have observed a tendency to bread baking at home, the study investigated whether these changes are also reflected in Romanians’ behavior. 36% of respondents stated that in the last 12 months they have baked bread or other similar products in their own kitchen, while 48% say that they have kept the same habits, preferring to buy them, not to prepare them themselves. Then, there is a segment of those who intended to start this activity but gave up because they found it difficult (16%).

On Easter half of Romanians intend to bake sweet bread in their own kitchens, not to buy them from the stores

Although bread is generally purchased from the store, however, when it comes to cakes, most Romanians (42%) keep the traditions and prepare them at home. Because almost half of the respondents (47%) state that they usually consume sweet bread only during the holidays, then the effort to prepare a complex recipe seems smaller. Even this year on Easter, most respondents (48%) say they will bake the sweet bread by themselves, while 37% prefer to buy it from a store. Those who choose the second option say that they usually buy this product from supermarkets or hypermarkets to the greatest extent (65%), and 45% go to the bakery. Only 24% buy them from confectioneries.

The main reason why some Romanians avoid making cakes at home is the fact that commercial products are evaluated as better than what they would cook on their own, an aspect mentioned by 37% of respondents. At the same time, 30% of them think that it is too long a process, and 18% consider that the recipe is too complicated.

Romanians prefer local brands to the detriment of the international ones when it comes to buying sweet bread

If they choose to buy sweet bread, the majority of respondents (89%) state that they prefer Romanian brands, which have traditional recipes. Another 26%, although they choose Romanian brands, say they prefer those that follow international recipes, such as Panettone cake. Only 9% of Romanians choose foreign brands of cake. Appetite for local products and brands is also reflected in consumers’ preferences regarding bread. Asked how often they eat certain types of bread, 38% of Romanians say they never eat ciabatta, and 32% never eat foccacia.

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About Reveal Marketing Research

Reveal Marketing Research is a market research company, with a team specialized in marketing research, sociological studies, customer insight, business strategy, market development. With expertise in over 20 industries, Reveal Marketing Research believes that market research is the basis for the right decisions and an accurate brand positioning. The qualitative and quantitative solutions provided by Reveal have been helping companies in Romania and Europe for over 12 years.

Methodology: The method used was CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) and 1013 online interviews were conducted with respondents over the age of 18, online users, on a nationally representative urban and rural sample between April 13-20, 2021. Sampling error +/- 3%. Confidence level: 95%.