世論 What Japan Thinks

[part 1 | part 2]

DIMSDRIVE Research recently carried out a survey on free presents given away with foodstuffs, a rather popular method of promotion here in Japan. They surveyed 5,925 people, 2,410 male, from all over the country by means of an internet-based questionnaire in mid-December. The average age of the men was 40.2 years old, and of the women 35.7.

A gaijin ex-colleague of mine did collect the cards for some series or other – I forgotton the name of it, but it wasn’t one of the mass market animes. He bought one or two boxes of the chocolates and dutifully chomped his way through the whole lot at work, not ever offering me a single one, although he assured me the chocolate was disgusting.

I occasionally buy bottled drinks that come with free gifts if they have a nice strap to give away. Ocha Ken was an excellent series, although I only bought two bottles. Hopefully they revive it this summer. At the back of a cupboard somewhere is a dozen or so scented tea candles from Sokenbicha (sokenbicha looks really ugly in romaji; 爽健美茶 is much nicer!) that I really should light one day!

Q7: For those who have collected or are collecting, how old were you when you first started collecting free gifts? (Sample size=3,793, less 29 no answers)

Under 5 years old	3.3%
5 to 9 years old	27.6%
10 to 14 years old	24.0%
15 to 19 years old	6.3%
20 to 24 years old	9.0%
25 to 29 years old	9.9%
30 to 34 years old	9.5%
35 to 39 years old	5.3%
40 to 44 years old	2.9%
45 to 49 years old	1.2%
50 to 54 years old	0.6%
55 to 59 years old	0.2%
Over 60 years old	0.4%

Q8: What first spurred you to start collecting free gifts? (Sample size=3,793, less 29 no answers)

Saw them in a shop	55.1%
Just happened to come with my purchases	29.2%
Saw my friend’s collection	23.3%
Becase it was a fad	19.5%
Saw a TV program or advert about them	16.2%
Saw my sibling’s collection	6.7%
Saw them on the internet	2.6%
Other	3.8%
Can’t remember	3.7%

Q9: What have you done with the old collections? (Sample size=3,793, multiple answer)

Thrown away	34.6%
Tidied away	30.4%
On display	21.3%
Given to a friend	13.9%
Sold	4.4%
Other	1.2%
Don’t know where they’ve gone!	32.7%
Not finished collecting a set yet!	0.1%

Q10: What do you do with the sweets or drinks the toys come with? (Sample size=3,793)

Eat or drink them all myself	38.7%
Mostly eat or drink them myself	46.1%
Don’t eat or drink many of them myself	12.7%
Don’t eat or drink any at all myself	2.5%

Q11: Which goods did you most keenly collect? (Sample size=3,793, free answer)

Gift	Votes
Glico Caramel gift	428
Surprise (Bikkuri) Man Seal	273
Choco Egg	174
Peco chan goods	110
Kamen Rider cards	107
Star wars goods	91
Gundam goods	82
Pocket monsters goods	81
Pro baseball tips cards	68
Snoopy goods	62

Q12: If they went on sale, what would you definitely buy? (Sample size=3,793, free answer)

Retro toys	102
Disney items	94
Mini cars or vehicle models	75
Various minatures	72
Character items	69
Gundam items	65
Relaxuma items	47
Useable stuff	37
Snoopy items	37
Cat items	34

Q13: For those not currently collecting, why are you not collecting, or have never collected? (Sample size=5,408, multiple answer)

	Not collecting now N=3,276	Never collected N=2,132
Because no free gifts I want	53.9%	34.2%
Because I think it’s a waste of money	26.3%	30.7%
Because I could never collect them all	23.1%	27.9%
Because they’d just be rubbish afterwards	21.3%	35.0%
Because I can’t tell what the gift is	19.6%	17.6%
Because I’d just get bored doing it	15.0%	15.8%
Because I’ve no interest in free gifts	11.8%	37.1%
Because I don’t like sweets	11.1%	13.1%
Other	5.8%	1.1%
I didn’t know there were free gifts	0.3%	3.4%

[part 1 | part 2]