世論 What Japan Thinks

[part 1][part 2]

With prices of many staples having risen or threatening to rise for the first time for a good number of years, Macromill Inc decided to investigate what the average consumer thought about instant ramen and other instant noodles.

Demographics

Over the 10th and 11th of October 2007 516 members of the Macromill Monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. The sample was split 50:50 male and female in each age group, with 25.0% in their twenties, 25.0% in their thirties, 25.0% in their forties, and 25.0% in the fifties.

I think I’ve only ever once or twice eaten instant noodles in Japan; most of them are loaded with prawns, beef, salt and MSG, so I stay well clear of them! Looking at Q1, the one type I do recall eating was some sort of low calorie concoction that doesn’t feature on the list. However, it seems that most families do use them regularly, and always hold a few in stock for emergencies or days when they just can’t be bothered cooking.

If you want to find out how Cup Noodles are made, you can visit the Momofuku Ando Museum situated in Ikeda near Osaka and even make your own personalised unique ramen!

Research results

Q1: What kinds of instant cup noodles have you eaten? (Sample size=516, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=258	Female N=258
Dehydrated-type ramen	81.6%	82.9%	80.2%
Yakisoba (fried buckwheat)	58.3%	56.6%	60.1%
Fresh-type ramen	46.3%	46.1%	46.5%
Dehydrated-type udon (wheat)	46.1%	44.2%	48.1%
Fresh-type udon (wheat)	32.4%	29.1%	35.7%
Japanese soba (buckwheat)	28.5%	31.4%	25.6%
Pasta	23.3%	19.4%	27.1%
Okinawa soba	5.8%	7.0%	4.7%
Other	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Don’t eat instant cup noodles (to Q11)	7.9%	6.2%	9.7%

I believe this table above excludes the simple packets of dried noodles.

Q2: Where do you buy instant cup noodles? (Sample size=475, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=242	Female N=233
Supermarket	84.0%	75.6%	92.7%
Convenience store	45.7%	52.9%	38.2%
Discount store	30.3%	35.5%	24.9%
Drugstore	20.8%	16.9%	24.9%
100 yen shop	7.4%	8.3%	6.4%
Family-run store	1.9%	2.1%	1.7%
Department store	1.1%	0.8%	1.3%
Internet, catalogue mail order	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Other	2.1%	1.7%	2.6%
Don’t buy them myself	1.1%	1.2%	0.9%

Q3: About how often do you eat instant cup noodles? (Sample size=475)

	All	Male N=242	Female N=233
Six or more times a week	0.6%	1.2%	0.0%
Four or five times a week	1.7%	2.9%	0.4%
Twice or thrice a week	15.6%	19.0%	12.0%
Once a week	24.0%	26.0%	21.9%
Twice or thrice a month	25.5%	23.6%	27.5%
Once a month	21.7%	18.2%	25.3%
Twice a year	7.8%	6.2%	9.4%
Once a year or less	3.2%	2.9%	3.4%

Q4: When do you eat instant cup noodles? (Sample size=475, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=242	Female N=233
Breakfast	3.8%	5.4%	2.1%
Mid-morning snack	1.9%	1.7%	2.1%
Lunchtime	67.8%	58.7%	77.3%
Mid-afternoon snack	12.8%	12.8%	12.9%
Dinnertime	18.7%	26.0%	11.2%
Evening, midnight snack	2.5%	4.5%	0.4%
Other	0.6%	0.8%	0.4%
No particular time	10.1%	12.0%	8.2%

Q5: Do you have a stock of instant cup noodles at home? (Sample size=475)

Yes	73.3%
No	26.7%

Q6: Do you have a stock of instant cup noodles at work, school? (Sample size=365, cup noodle eaters in school or employment)

Yes	16.2%
No	83.8%

[part 1][part 2]