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.

As there are no particularly good statistics to graph from this half of the survey, instead here’s a video of the Nissen Cup Noodle advertisements, done in an anime style with music by Hikari Utada:

The web site of the series of adverts can be found here at FREEDOM PROJECT.

Research results

Q7: Where do you obtain information about instant cup noodles? (Sample size=470, cup noodle eaters and buyers, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=239	Female N=231
Products in shop	65.7%	62.3%	69.3%
Television advertisements	60.2%	49.0%	71.9%
In-store advertisements	15.7%	14.2%	17.3%
Advertisement leaflets in newspapers	14.3%	13.4%	15.2%
Word of mouth	10.2%	5.9%	14.7%
Magazine advertisement, column	5.7%	4.6%	6.9%
Television programme	5.5%	4.6%	6.5%
Newspaper advertisement, column	4.5%	5.9%	3.0%
Maker’s web site	3.6%	2.9%	4.3%
Other internet source	3.6%	3.8%	3.5%
Advertisements in public transport	2.1%	2.5%	1.7%
Email newsletter	2.1%	1.7%	2.6%
Rooftop advertisement	1.7%	2.1%	1.3%
Radio advertisement, programme	1.1%	1.7%	0.4%
Other	1.1%	1.7%	0.4%
Nowhere in particular	10.6%	15.1%	6.1%

Q8: When buying instant cup noodles, what is important? (Sample size=470, cup noodle eaters and buyers, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=239	Female N=231
Price	77.2%	75.7%	78.8%
Type of soup	51.5%	49.4%	53.7%
Type of noodle	46.0%	44.8%	47.2%
Type of topping	25.5%	25.9%	25.1%
Newness	17.4%	20.1%	14.7%
Quantity	16.4%	18.8%	13.9%
Ease of preparation	16.0%	10.9%	21.2%
Maker	15.7%	14.6%	16.9%
Calories	14.7%	10.5%	19.0%
Packaging design	11.9%	12.1%	11.7%
Amount of topping	11.5%	11.3%	11.7%
Serving suggestion picture on package	9.6%	6.7%	12.6%
Healthiness	9.4%	7.5%	11.3%
Naming	5.7%	5.4%	6.1%
Details of ingredients	3.6%	2.5%	4.8%
Other	5.1%	3.3%	6.9%

Q9: How much do you usually pay for instant cup noodles? (Sample size=470, cup noodle eaters and buyers, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=239	Female N=231
99 yen or less	21.9%	23.4%	20.3%
100 to 149 yen	45.1%	33.9%	56.7%
150 to 199 yen	21.5%	27.2%	15.6%
200 to 249 yen	7.7%	12.1%	3.0%
250 yen or more	3.8%	3.3%	4.3%

The average works out at 127.8 yen per cup; 134.9 yen for men, 120.6 yen for women.

Q10: If you see a product that looks enticing, up to how much are you prepared to pay? (Sample size=470, cup noodle eaters and buyers, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=239	Female N=231
Up to 99 yen	6.0%	5.9%	6.1%
100 to 149 yen	15.7%	15.1%	16.5%
150 to 199 yen	22.6%	20.1%	25.1%
200 to 249 yen	20.9%	21.8%	19.9%
250 to 299 yen	15.3%	16.7%	13.9%
300 to 349 yen	13.2%	14.2%	12.1%
350 yen or more	6.4%	6.3%	6.5%

The average works out at 206.2 yen per cup; 208.7 yen for men, 203.7 yen for women.

Q11: It has been announced that in January 2008 the price of certain instant cup noodle products will rise. Do you know this? (Sample size=516)

	All	Male N=258	Female N=258
Know how much the price rise will be and other details	6.6%	9.3%	3.9%
Don’t know the details, but have heard about the price rise	57.4%	57.4%	57.4%
Don’t know about it at all	36.0%	33.3%	38.8%

Q12: What do you plan to do regarding the price increases of certain instant cup noodle products? (Sample size=516, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=258	Female N=258
Buy several before the price rise	31.0%	20.9%	41.1%
Buy less after the price rise	18.6%	16.3%	20.9%
Buy in bulk before the price rise	7.6%	10.5%	4.7%
Stop buying after the price rise	1.9%	1.9%	1.9%
Other	0.4%	0.4%	0.4%
Nothing in particular	45.3%	51.2%	39.5%
Don’t buy cup noodles myself	5.8%	5.8%	5.8%

[part 1][part 2]