From Kit Kat to copycat: Exploring Generation Z’s attitude towards copycat products in the confectionery category

Abstract

As consumers look to reduce discretionary spending, one option available to them is to switch to lower priced copycat brands. Facing such financial constraints, this paper asks whether Generation Z might prefer these more value-orientated products. Through four focus groups participants were asked to compare competing confectionery products from both copycats and leader brands. By drawing on their own experiences and responding to the physical products, participants were asked to explain their preferences when buying such products. Three themes emerged from the analysis. Firstly, contextual convenience shaped the available options when buying snacks; second, taste was assigned the highest priority for such relatively low-cost items. This preference was dependent on prior experience with the products and therefore brand familiarity and trust. Third, price disparity became an influential factor for the more generic tasting products but less important for products that were considered more distinctive in their taste profiles. The implication of this research is that for these types of low-cost, emotional buys, the price advantage has to be meaningful for it to translate into a cost-driven decision. For copycat products, this means that the greater the price disparity and the more comparable the taste, the more they appeal. For leader brands, this study highlights the importance of maintaining the emphasis on preserving their distinctive taste and keeping prices relatively comparable with those of competitors to avoid conceding market share.