Marketers′ and Consumers′ Concurring Perceptions of Market Structure

The impact of increased retailer dominance is considered in terms of the positioning of weaker brands becoming similar to own labels. A review of the evolution and characteristics of brands, own labels and generics is presented. To assess consumers′ perceptions of the competitive tiers, six product fields were investigated. Consumers′ perceptions of the structure of these markets rarely agreed with marketers. Brands were always perceived as dissimilar to retailer labels. Advertising charges did not influence perception since, as an informational cue, it was secondary to brand name.