世論 What Japan Thinks

Recently MyVoice investigated the subject of confectionery consumption amongst its panel of monitors. As a cross-reference, last year MyVoice looked at cheering oneself up with sweets.

Demographics

Over the first five days of April 2009 15,582 members of the MyVoice internet community successfully completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 2% were in their teens, 15% in their twenties, 35% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 19% after fifty or older.

I’m surprised at the relatively low figure for spending in Q6, especially given a quarter eat sweets daily – I wonder if this means people only counting treating themselves explicitly to sweets, rather than also adding in purchases of treats for children that they eat together?

Research results

Q1: How often do you usually eat confectionery? (Sample size=15,582)

Every day	24.4%
Four or five times a week	23.9%
Twice or thrice a week	23.5%
Once a week	9.0%
Twice or thrice a month	3.6%
Once a month	1.0%
Almost never eat confectionery	3.6%
Never eat confectionery	0.9%

Q2: What times do you often eat confectionery? (Sample size=confectionery eaters, multiple answer)

When I get peckish	68.1%
While relaxing	62.6%
As dessert	37.0%
At snack time	35.0%
While working, studying, doing housework	27.3%
When I have a rest, to fill time	22.9%
When I want to cheer myself up	19.6%
When doing leisure activities	15.5%
When drinking alcohol	13.8%
When irritated	12.3%
While on the move	11.6%
While preparing a meal	10.1%
While waiting	5.8%
While exercising	1.9%
Other	3.0%
No answer	0.2%

Q3: What kinds of confectionery do you eat? (Sample size=confectionery eaters, multiple answer)

Chocolate	70.6%
Potato crisps, other snacks	60.3%
Sembei rice crackers	53.9%
Biscuits, cookies	51.9%
Western confectionery	49.3%
Japanese confectionery	42.0%
Ice cream	41.5%
Boiled sweets, hard candies	36.0%
Yoghurt	31.1%
Caramel pudding	31.0%
Chewing gum	27.6%
Jelly	20.8%
Cheap sweets (pick’n'mix, etc)	17.6%
Fruit (compote, etc)	17.4%
Other	3.2%
No answer	0.3%

Note that Western confectionery implies cakes and other baked items rather than M&Ms or the like; similarly Japanese confectionery means stuff like this.

Q4: What kinds of confectionery do you eat the most? (Sample size=confectionery eaters)

Chocolate	26.1%
Potato crisps, other snacks	18.8%
Sembei rice crackers	10.1%
Biscuits, cookies	9.1%
Boiled sweets, hard candies	7.9%
Chewing gum	7.3%
Western confectionery	5.1%
Japanese confectionery	3.9%
Ice cream	3.2%
Yoghurt	3.1%
Cheap sweets (pick’n'mix, etc)	0.9%
Caramel pudding	0.8%
Fruit (compote, etc)	0.6%
Jelly	0.5%
Other	0.7%
None in particular, don’t know	1.4%
No answer	0.6%

Q5: What points are important when buying the confectionery you eat the most? (Sample size=those with a most often eaten confectionery from Q4, multiple answer)

Flavour	83.3%
Price	61.1%
Volume, amount of contents	28.1%
One I usually eat	27.9%
Shape, size of confectionery itself	17.5%
Calories	14.9%
Safety, security	14.2%
Will keep	11.8%
Brand	10.8%
Design, packaging	9.8%
Maker name	9.8%
Is limited edition	7.6%
Is new product	6.4%
Catches my eye in the shop	5.8%
Friend’s evaluation, word-of-mouth information	5.3%
Advertising image, impression	4.7%
Is nutritionally balanced	4.1%
Product name, well-named	3.7%
Has free gift	2.1%
Other	1.3%
Nothing in particular	3.2%
Don’t buy confectionery	0.6%
No answer	0.2%

Q6: About how much do you spend per week on onfectionery? (Sample size=those who buy confectionery from Q5)

Less than 500 yen	44.8%
500 to 999 yen	34.8%
1,000 to 1,499 yen	10.7%
1,500 to 1,999 yen	3.6%
2,000 to 2,499 yen	1.2%
2,500 to 2,999 yen	0.6%
3,000 yen or more	0.7%
Don’t buy myself	2.8%
No answer	0.7%