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The perception of a product’s added value when it is manufactured in France
Given the current economic climate and increasing unemployment, one of the recurrent ideas throughout the presidential election campaign was the re-industrialisation of France, inciting consumers to buy ‘French’. This initiative hoped to help the country’s economy to get going again and protect jobs by penalising companies who outsourced or relocated abroad whilst encouraging those who contributed to creating and maintaining jobs in France.
According to a certain number of sceptics, however, the intense competition and relatively high salary levels would never allow French-made products to gain the competitive edge. The products would need to be sold for a higher price and this would lead to a no-win situation for manufacturers and consumers alike.
So just how strongly do French consumers feel about where the products they are buying are made? And how willing are they to pay more for a product “Made in France”?
El “Made in France” - a concept whose interest increases with age
Nearly 70% of French people claim that they would prefer to buy a product that has been manufactured in France. This figure varies considerably depending on the age of the consumer, with the younger generation showing less interest in a product “Made in France” than their elders. Whilst only 54% of 18 to 24 year olds take into account whether a product they are buying has been manufactured in France, this figure reaches 74% amongst 35 to 44 year olds and increases even further to exceed 83% of senior citizens. Nevertheless the percentage remains significant throughout all the age groups and shows that consumers are becoming increasingly preoccupied about where the products they are purchasing are produced.
“Made in France” – it’s a bonus
Almost 80% of French people would be willing to pay more for an equivalent product, made in France. Of this group, over 60% would even be happy to pay at least 10% more for a product manufactured in France. A product “Made in France” can be considered to be a real bonus, through which we can observe the willingness of the French consumers to support their country’s economy and a veritable competitive advantage for businesses favouring French manufacturing over delocalisation.
Mixed feelings about “Made in Europe” products
French consumers do not seem to feel the same loyalty towards products that have been “Made in Europe”. Only 44% consider that it doesn’t matter whether a product they are buying has been manufactured in France or in Europe. The enthusiasm for European products amongst the French is nowhere near as strong as for French products. - Yet another sign that European integration and the feeling of belonging to the European Union are still far from reality.
This study was carried out between the 20th and 23rd of April 2012 via our omnibus FlashFacts and our online access panel. The sample size was of 1052 participants, representative of the French population of 18 to 65 year olds.
