U.S. beer drinkers are almost four times more likely to call themselves satisfied with imported beer compared to domestic, according to a new survey by YouGov. Imported beer brands hit their lowest levels of U.S. consumer satisfaction in two years during the first half of 2012, but have rebounded, while domestic beer brands have declined since the summer.
London-based YouGov conducts daily interviews with members of a representative U.S. population sample, and compiles BrandIndex measurement scores by subtracting negative feedback from positive. For the domestic and imported beer brand survey, respondents were asked "Are you a satisfied customer?"
Currently, the imported beer satisfaction score sits at 31, up from a 21 in early June, but still lagging behind the high score of 34 posted in January 2012. The satisfaction score for domestic beer is at 8, following a roller coaster of highs (15 in January and 16 in May) and lows (11 in March and 4 in July).
The gap in consumer satisfaction between domestic and imported brands shrank to its smallest difference in more than four years from mid-May to early June 2012 (imports at 21 and domestic at 14), which the firm suggested could be due to global owners reportedly "tinkering" with foreign beer brewing formulas. There is usually a 14- to 20-point gap on average between the two sectors.
