Correlates of in-store promotions for beer: differential effects of market and product characteristics.
OBJECTIVE
We estimated the strength and direction of the association between product characteristics (beer type, package size, and brand name) and market-area socioeconomic characteristics, and promoted sales of beer in grocery stores.


METHODS
Supermarket scanner data from 64 market areas across the United States over 5 years were used to estimate regression models of the share of beer sales that are promoted, controlling for beer price, packaging, and type; and for market-level age, race/ethnicity, income, unemployment rate, and percentage of the population living in an alcohol control state.


RESULTS
Large-volume units, such as 144-oz and 288-oz packages, are more likely to be promoted than smaller package sizes. Malt-liquor beverages are less likely to be promoted than non-malt-liquor beverages. Age, race/ethnicity, income, and geographic location of the market area are not significantly related to promoted beer sales.


CONCLUSIONS
Marketing research has shown that in-store merchandising and promotions can substantially increase beer sales and that purchasing large package sizes may increase total consumption. Our results suggest that high levels of promoted sales for large-volume beer packages may result in increased beer consumption.
Bray
Jeremy W
JW
RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Road, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. bray@rti.org
Loomis
Brett
B
Engelen
Mark
M
D000329:Advertising / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D001515:Beer / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005511:Food Handling / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D040241:Social Marketing; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States