Unravelling consumer behaviour

Unravelling consumer behaviour

Your target markets are evolving constantly. Consumer needs are continuously changing, your competitors are breaking new ground and bringing new products to the market and changing government regulations play an increasing role in the acceptance of innovations with potentially far-reaching consequences for your business. Do you have the up-to-date in-house knowledge that will help you to stay ahead of the competition or make the move towards new markets? Wageningen Economic Research can provide you with insight into consumer purchasing and consumption behaviour, the crucial factors that play a role in this behaviour and a basis for influencing consumer behaviour.

What we can do for you

Why choose Wageningen Economic Research

  • Evidence-based insights into consumer choices and behaviour in relation to your product range
  • Insights into your consumer marketing activities
  • Decades of being a front-runner in innovative global market and consumer research
  • Extensive network of experts and a unique knowledge of consumer research
  • State-of-the-art data and domain expertise and state-of-the-art research methods

Understanding consumer behaviour, motives and successful interventions

We will help you to understand changes in consumer behaviour in relation to your product range in existing and potential markets. Our research ranges from purchasing behaviour to dietary habits for different products and in various contexts. We investigate both individual consumers and consumer segments, we examine societal trends and provide you with short-term and long-term insights. We identify determinants of purchasing and consumption behaviour and point the way towards achieving socially desirable behavioural change.

These insights are provided through an approach that is centred on analysis and evidence-based customisation. We use the most recent data from various external and in-house data sources and draw on our extensive knowledge of international consumer segments. This will support you in staying one step ahead of the competition.

Testimonial Ruud Oltshoorn van Decorum


We’ve used the research results to ensure that we have better stopping power and shopping power.
Ruud Olsthoorn, Sales & Relations Manager, Decorum

Research infrastructures: gaining comparable international consumer insights

Performing comparable international consumer research is very challenging. Apart from coding differences in products, assortment and consumption moments, differences in reliability, methodology and topicality of national statistics agencies as well as availability and design of international consumer panels often obstruct clear comparable consumer insights.

To stimulate healthy and sustainable consumer oriented food innovations, having access to comparable data on consumer behavior, consumption and lifestyles is crucial for both governments and private sector parties. Read more on WUR’s international pioneering role on this topic in our blogs.