Interview – How The Shopping Behavior In Egypt Has Changed, And Some Remained The Same?

• BASES Top Breakthrough Innovations award recognizes successful innovations across the globe.
• The 2021 winners in Egypt have garnered a combined sale of USD 53 million in the first year of launch; most showed an average increase of 1.8X sales in the second year.
• 60% of those surveyed claim to still take extra care of their personal and home hygiene.
• 56% of Egyptians claim to use immunity boosters and herbs daily, and ~60% are willing to pay more for a product with no added sugar.
• While most Egyptian shoppers still prefer to shop for groceries offline in stores, there is a rising trend of using online channels, including WhatsApp business accounts.

The global pandemic has affected consumer behavior in Egypt, reflecting that 60% of consumers still take extra care of their personal and home hygiene. But it is interesting to note that in terms of shopping, most Egyptian shoppers still prefer to shop at stores for groceries physically, and only 15% are more inclined to use online channels; according to the 2021 Top Breakthrough Innovation Report by NielsenIQ Bases, the innovation arm of the global measurement and data analytics for retail and consumer intelligence NielsenIQ.

Chief Marketing Officers Magazine (CMOs) interviewed Zulfiqar Razvi, Executive Director at NielsenIQ BASES for Middle East Africa and Turkey, to share with us some key insights from the report on shoppers preference in FMCG products, including their preference in offline grocery shopping at stores, affordable indulgence when it comes to personal care, and organic ingredients being a key driver to promote brand switching.

Let’s delve into the interview…

For anyone who is not familiar with NielsenIQ BASES, can you explain it? 

BASES is a NielsenIQ business that helps companies build brands through innovation, renovation, strategy, and go-to-market optimization. The BASES product helps the brand achieve maximum innovation success through advanced predictive analytics, behavioral science, proprietary databases, expert advice, and agile digital technology platforms. 

The parent company, NielsenIQ, is a global leader in providing the most complete, unbiased view of consumer behavior. Powered by a groundbreaking consumer data platform and fueled by rich analytic capabilities, NielsenIQ enables bold, confident decision-making for the world’s leading consumer goods companies and retailers.

What is the BASES Top Breakthrough Innovations award? 

We award this annual title to FMCG products that demonstrate new and effective approaches in creating meaningful connections with consumers. We’ve been holding these awards for ten years, intending to recognize successful innovations across the globe. 

The winners were selected based on market performance criteria based on sales, their ability to bring incrementally to the brand, category distinction, and their endurance in the marketplace. 

This year’s winners in Egypt have garnered a combined sale of USD 53 million in the first year of launch and have sustained growth in out-years, with the majority of the winners showing an average increase of 1.8X sales in the second year.

Why is innovation important for FMCGs? 

Innovation plays a key role for an FMCG manufacturer – whether it is to your brand, fend off competition, or keep your consumers and retailers engaged by bringing new news to the category. You can have a brilliant idea and a fantastic concept, but you cannot succeed in the long run with a below-par product.

Consumers are becoming more aware of a product’s performance due to information accessibility through online platforms. The breakthrough winners excelled in delivering a superior product experience to consumers. As we mark the award’s 10th anniversary in 2021, we celebrate the success of outstanding innovations that capitalize on growing trends like Health and Wellness, Convenience, Accessibility, and Customization.

What are the main FMCG trends caused by the pandemic that you see in Egypt?

Among those surveyed, 60% claim to still take extra care of their personal and home hygiene, which I believe is brought by the pandemic as consumers have accustomed to the habit. 

Health & wellness is a key theme sought after by consumers. Some winners capitalize this in the food & beverage category by offering products with nutritional benefits. Our findings show that quality ingredients and brand trust are top factors influencing purchase decisions, while clean, organic ingredients are key drivers of premiumness in this category and are likely to promote brand switching. 

Additionally, 56% of Egyptians claim to use immunity boosters and herbs daily, and ~60% are willing to pay more for a product with no added sugar.

We are also witnessing a rising theme of affordable indulgence.’ There is a need for higher-value equations, especially in the personal care category, and the products that offer benefit and format differentiation stand out and attract attention the most

Lastly, from the insights gathered, while the majority of Egyptian shoppers still prefer to shop for groceries offline in stores, there is a rising trend of using online channels, including WhatsApp business accounts.