1. How would you characterize consumer purchasing behaviour and consumption in the chocolate praline market and the major differences observed among countries?
In the chocolate praline market, consumer purchasing behaviour has many characteristics. Indeed, the consumer behaviour differs a lot from buying chocolate pralines and buying chocolate bars. Consumer behaviour of chocolate pralines is much more deliberated and involved than consumer behaviour of chocolate bars. This kind of chocolate is offered and shared on special occasions. Whereas chocolates bars are mostly purchased for self-consumption, chocolate pralines are often offered as a gift. Definitely, people see chocolate pralines as a luxury product thanks to its production nature and also to its decoration. It´s important to highlight the higher prices of chocolate pralines don´t inhibit the consumer, but they limit more impulsive purchases.
Nevertheless, we can observe many differences among countries. First, Belgium is the country where the consumption is highest. In more than a half of purchases (60%), chocolate are offered as gifts (there is a clear distinction between a self-consumption and a gift purchase). However, chocolates are not perceived anymore as luxury products, but they are more comparable to, for example, flowers. Second, in France, Spain, Portugal and Japan, people also offer chocolate pralines as gifts but, contrary to Belgium, they are perceived as luxury products. Spanish and Portuguese markets are “new markets” with a big future potential whereas French and Japanese markets are very seasonal (huge problem). In the case on United States, chocolate pralines are also given on special occasions. Nonetheless, there are countries where the situation is very different. For instance, Germany, Holland, Italy and the Nordic countries don´t seem to be interested in chocolate pralines. People from Holland think they are too expensive; in Germany, a “chocolates culture” doesn’t exist, while