世論 What Japan Thinks

It’s coming up to that time of the year in Japan where the women may express their love and have to express their gratitute, so Macromill Inc looked at women and Valentine’s Day.

Demographics

Over the 21st and 22nd of January 2009 515 female members of the Macromill monitor group aged between twenty and thirty-nine completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54 were aged between 20 and 24, 155 between 25 and 29, 174 between 30 and 34, and 132 between 35 and 39.

In Japan there are two different types of chocolate that women must buy for Valentine’s Day. The first kind is “true” (本命, honmei) chocolates, the other “obligatory” (義理, giri); the first goes to your true love (or object of infatuation, etc), the second male colleagues at work. As you may guess, the amount of effort and expense gone to for each type varies greatly!

Note that “traditionally” it is the women who give men presents on Valentine’s Day, and they hope for something in return on White Day, the 14th of March. However, from this year some of the chocolate makers have been promoting 逆チョコ, gyaku choko, reverse chocolates, which come in a mirror imaged box.

Two years ago I translated a similar Macromill Valentine survey that you may want to cross-reference.

Research results

Q1: Do you plan to buy chocolates for Valentine’s Day this year? (Sample size=515)

Yes	77.5%
No (to Q8)	14.2%
Don’t know (to Q8)	8.3%

Looking at the breakdown by age, there was little significant difference to be noted except for the 20 to 24 year olds; perhaps too many of them are busy with univeristy and college to worry about love?

Q2: For whom do you plan to buy chocolates? (Sample size=399, multiple answer)

True chocolate

Husband or boyfriend	70.2%
Object of infatuation	11.5%

Obligatory chocolate

Boss	52.1%
Family	46.6%
Colleagues or subordinates	40.6%
Male friend	18.5%
Female friend	11.8%
Other	2.5%

My chocolate

Myself

16.5%

Q3: Where do you plan to buy these chocolates? (Sample size=311, 324, and 66, multiple answer)

	True chocolate N=311	Obligatory chocolate N=324	My chocolate N=66
Famous brand shop	19.6%	9.0%	34.8%
Famous patisserie shop	14.1%	5.2%	47.0%
Department store	52.1%	63.6%	68.2%
Supermarket, convenience store	11.3%	25.9%	6.1%
Internet shopping	13.8%	15.1%	25.8%
Hand-made	31.8%	9.0%	4.5%
Other	2.9%	3.4%	3.0%

Q4: How much are you budgeting for one box of chocolates? (Sample size=311, 324, and 66)

True chocolate N=311	2,201 yen
Obligatory chocolate N=324	826 yen
My chocolate N=66	2,034 yen

Q5: Which maker’s chocolates do you plan to buy? (Sample size=249, 307 and 66, free and multiple answer, top five answers)

Rank	True chocolate N=249	Percentage	Obligatory chocolate N=307	Percentage	My chocolate N=66	Percentage
1	Godiva	31.7%	Morozoff	14.7%	Pierre Marcolini	24.2%
2	Pierre Marcolini	12.4%	Godiva	12.4%	Jean-Paul Hevin	19.7%
3	Jean-Paul Hevin	11.2%	Royce	10.1%	Royce	18.2%
4	Royce	10.4%	Mary’s Chocolate	9.4%	Godiva	16.7%
5	Demel	8.8%	Meiji, Morinaga, Lotte	7.8% each	Demel	12.1%
–	Don’t know yet	44.2%	Don’t know yet	55.7%	Don’t know yet	39.4%

Q6: Do you plan to give anything along with the true chocolates? (Sample size=311)

Yes (to SQ)	37.6%
No	27.3%
Don’t know	35.0%

Q6SQ: What do you plan to give along with the true chocolates? (Sample size=117, free and multiple answer)

Rank		Percentage
1	Clothes	20.5%
2	Necktie	17.1%
3	Scarf	12.8%
4	Handkerchief	11.1%
5	Gloves	10.3%
6	CD, DVD	7.7%
7=	Wallet	6.8%
7=	Wristwatch	6.8%
7=	Interior item	6.8%
7=	Alcohol	6.8%

Q7: Do you expect to get anything in return for your chocolates? (Sample size=311 and 324)

	True chocolate N=311	Obligatory chocolate N=324
Expect to (to SQ)	23.8%	15.4%
Perhaps expect to (to SQ)	33.1%	29.3%
Don’t really expect to	26.7%	28.7%
No expectations at all	10.9%	17.9%
Don’t want anything	5.5%	8.6%

Q7SQ: What would you like to get in return for your chocolates? (Sample size=177 and 145)

	True chocolate N=177	Obligatory chocolate N=145
Cake	30.5%	34.5%
Cookies	24.9%	53.1%
Chocolate	22.6%	50.3%
Marshmallows	6.8%	8.3%
Candies	4.0%	15.2%
Caramel	1.7%	11.0%
Other sweeties	1.7%	4.8%
Accessories	34.5%	4.1%
Bag	20.9%	1.4%
Clothes	14.7%	1.4%
Shoes	8.5%	2.8%
Handkerchief, hand towel	4.0%	17.2%
Meal	43.5%	13.8%
Flowers	13.0%	1.4%
Other	7.3%	5.5%

Q8: Do you think that the exchanging of obligatory chocolates at work should be carried out? (Sample size=515)

Should be (to SQ1)	3.9%
Perhaps should be (to SQ1)	25.2%
Perhaps shouldn’t be (to SQ2)	38.6%
Should not be (to SQ2)	32.2%

There is a very definite trend with age, with 37.0% of those between 20 and 24 being in favour to some extent, versus just 17.4% of those between 35 and 39.

Q8SQ1: Why do you think that the exchanging of obligatory chocolates at work should be carried out? (Sample size=150, multiple answer)

Because it’s a good opportunity to deepen communication	75.3%
Because it’s a good opportunity to express feelings of gratitute	64.0%
Because it’s an enjoyable yearly event	28.7%
Because I can expect something at White Day	14.0%
Because I feel I will get a higher evaluation at work	4.0%
Other	2.7%

15% of those between 20 and 24 thought they’d get a better evaluation at work from giving chocolates.

Q8SQ2: Why do you think that the exchanging of obligatory chocolates at work should not be carried out? (Sample size=365, multiple answer)

Because it’s bothersome	73.2%
Because it’s quite an expense	64.1%
Because I must give them to people I don’t want to	50.7%
Because it’s a terrible custom	43.6%
Because I don’t have time to go and choose what to buy	25.8%
Other	3.0%

Q9: Compared with last year, how has your budget for presents changed? (Sample size=311, 324, and 66)

	True chocolate N=311	Obligatory chocolate N=324	My chocolate N=66
Increased	15.1%	4.0%	24.2%
Not changed	81.7%	84.0%	72.7%
Decreased	3.2%	12.0%	3.0%