Ask What Japan Thinks of tea-related drinks: survey 2 of 2

[survey 1] [survey 2]

Between the 22nd and 29th of March 2007 DIMSDRIVE Research surveyed its internet community regarding tea and tea-like drinks from plastic bottles. This is the second of a pair of rather similar surveys on tea drinks.

Demographics

6,477 members of the DIMSDRIVE Research internet community completed a private internet-based survey. 40.3% were male, 0.5% in their teens, 16.8% in their twenties, 36.5% in their thirties, 28.6% in their forties, 13.2% in their fifties, and 4.4% aged sixty or older.

This is a survey I’ve been looking for for a while, as I have wanted to do an “Ask What Japan Thinks” on tea, as I do get a few visitors looking for this sort of information, so I hope the information helps you out.

Note that in Japan plastic bottles are called PET bottles, with PET standing for polyethylene terephthalate, it appears. These bottles are usually recycled separately, so most public areas have a bin for these types of bottles only. You are supposed to take the cap off (some bins now have a separate opening for them) and the label, but I must admit to not doing either, although I do always use the correct bin.

Research results

Q1: Which of the following do you drink from plastic bottles (excluding home-made drinks)? (Sample size=6,477, multiple answer)

	All	Male N=2,610	Female N=3,867
Japanese tea (green tea, houji, etc)	74.6%	75.6%	74.0%
Oolong tea	53.5%	54.4%	52.9%
Sports drink	49.1%	53.3%	46.2%
Water	46.6%	44.4%	48.1%
India tea	42.5%	35.0%	47.6%
Blended tea	39.9%	34.5%	43.6%
Vegetable juice	30.1%	28.4%	31.2%
Barley tea	29.8%	30.4%	29.4%
Chinese tea (Jasmine, Pu-eru, etc)	23.5%	17.8%	27.3%
Functional teas	16.8%	15.3%	17.9%
Other teas	0.6%	0.6%	0.7%
Other drinks	24.1%	N/A	N/A
Don’t drink drinks in plastic bottles (to end)	3.5%	N/A	N/A

Q2A: How often do you buy tea-related drinks in 300ml bottles? (Sample size=5,747)

Almost every day	2.6%
Four or five times a week	2.8%
Two or three times a week	6.5%
Once a week	9.7%
Two or three times a month	11.9%
Once a month	11.2%
Once every two or three months	8.9%
Less than that	17.5%
Don’t buy that size	28.9%

Q2B: How often do you buy tea-related drinks in 500ml bottles? (Sample size=5,747)

Almost every day	7.3%
Four or five times a week	6.6%
Two or three times a week	15.6%
Once a week	18.5%
Two or three times a month	19.0%
Once a month	12.9%
Once every two or three months	8.0%
Less than that	6.6%
Don’t buy that size	5.5%

Q2C: How often do you buy tea-related drinks in 900ml or 1 litre bottles? (Sample size=5,747)

Almost every day	0.4%
Four or five times a week	0.1%
Two or three times a week	2.4%
Once a week	4.3%
Two or three times a month	6.4%
Once a month	7.7%
Once every two or three months	8.0%
Less than that	22.7%
Don’t buy that size	48.0%

Q2D: How often do you buy tea-related drinks in 1.5 litres or larger bottles? (Sample size=5,747)

Almost every day	2.3%
Four or five times a week	0.8%
Two or three times a week	4.7%
Once a week	10.0%
Two or three times a month	12.6%
Once a month	13.2%
Once every two or three months	12.2%
Less than that	18.5%
Don’t buy that size	25.7%

By age for the most popular size, the 500ml bottle, there was very little difference in purchase frequency up to the forties age group, but after than the purchase frequency decreased.

Note that the following questions were not asked to those who did not buy any size of plastic bottle, thus the sample size is slightly decreased.

Q3: Why do you buy bottled tea-related drinks? (Sample size=5,721, multiple answer)

Because can close the lid, can drink just a little at a time	69.2%
Because can carry around	66.3%
Because it’s convenient	53.2%
Because can buy anywhere	44.0%
Because easy to store	40.4%
Because there’s a wide selection of teas	17.4%
Because plastic bottles can be reused	15.0%
Because can choose from various sizes	13.8%
Because more tasty than cans or paper packs	4.4%
Other	1.4%
No particular reason	3.1%

Q4: Where do you buy bottled tea-related drinks? (Sample size=5,721, multiple answer)

Convenience store	77.4%
Supermarket	68.3%
Vending machine	54.2%
Drug store	29.8%
Discount store, home centre	29.4%
100 yen, 99 yen shop	24.3%
Station kiosk	21.5%
Cooperative	6.4%
Internet delivery service	2.4%
Other delivery sevice	0.3%
Other	1.2%

Q5: When buying bottled tea-related drinks, which of the following match your way of thinking? (Sample size=5,721, multiple answer)

Choose cheap drinks	39.8%
Decide on brand when at the shop, etc	36.4%
Want to try various brands	33.2%
Frequently buy the same brands	32.0%
Often buy and try out new products once	25.7%
Select brands with a rich taste	24.6%
Select brands with a sweet or astringent taste	22.7%
Select brands with free gifts	22.2%
Select brands that suit my mood or drinking setting	21.7%
Select functional drink brands	13.5%
Select brands with an interesting packaging design	8.4%
Select brands with interesting advertisements	7.4%
Select brands that sell	6.3%
None of the above, no particular method	4.0%

Q6A: What is your most favourite bottled tea-related drink brand? (Sample size=5,747, free answer)

Rank	Brand	Votes
1	O-i Ocha	1,167
2	Namacha	886
3	Soukenbicha	814
4	Iemon	657
5	Juurokucha	342
6	Suntory Oolong-cha	312
7	Afternoon tea	207
8	Suntory Black Oolong-cha	125
9	Hajime	104
10	Healthea	64
11	Karada Meguri-cha	45
12	Rokujou Barley Tea	36
13	Wakabusha	33
14	Lipton Lemone	26
15	Koucha Kaden	25
16	Java Tea	18
17	Tennenbikou Jasmine Tea	15
18	Sara-sara Soba-cha	12
19	Flavan-cha	10
20	Sesame Barley Tea	9

Q6B: What is your most favourite bottled tea-related drink brand? (Sample size=5,747, by sex, free answer)

Rank	Male	Votes	Female	Votes
1	O-i Ocha	594	Soukenbicha	592
2	Namacha	340	O-i Ocha	573
3	Iemon	229	Namacha	546
4	Soukenbicha	222	Iemon	428
5	Suntory Oolong-cha	132	Juurokucha	213
6	Juurokucha	129	Suntory Oolong-cha	180
7	Afternoon tea	76	Afternoon tea	131
8	Suntory Black Oolong-cha	43	Suntory Black Oolong-cha	82
9	Hajime	35	Hajime	69
10	Healthea	35	Karada Meguri-cha	42

[survey 1] [survey 2]