BRANDSTATS: Will WTO change buying habits?

<p>China's long-awaited entry into the World Trade Organisation could </p><p>finally offer foreign brand marketers much-needed respite. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>An NFO survey of mainland consumer behaviour across three key market </p><p>centres has found that four in 10 consumers indicating that they will </p><p>buy more imported brands. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In contrast, only one in 10 said they would purchase more local </p><p>brands. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The intention was particularly negligible in Guangzhou, expressed by </p><p>only one in a 100 respondents. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Demand for imported brands proved to be highest in Shanghai - 47 per </p><p>cent said they would buy more imported brands against 14 per cent that </p><p>intended to spend more on local branded products. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Beijing respondents were the least inclined to increase purchases of </p><p>imported brands. The Beijing average of 38 per cent on this score was </p><p>below the average score of 40 per cent for the three cities. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But Shanghai showed the lowest acceptance of brands and products from </p><p>joint-venture local and foreign corporations. Just 12 per cent of </p><p>Shanghai respondents said they would purchase joint-venture brands </p><p>against 28 per cent for Guangzhou, the highest score of the three </p><p>cities. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>