PERCEIVED VALUE OF COMMERCIAL BRANDS

Pojavom marke, odnosno označavanjem proizvoda različitim simbolima i znakovima, započela je „nova era“ u trgovinskom poslovanju. Pomoću marke se razlikuju proizvođači, ali i trgovci. U samom početku trgovačke marke su se dosta razlikovale od proizvođačkih i nisu se cijenile kao marke proizvođača jer se mislilo da su manje kvalitetne ako su im cijene manje. Dolaskom recesije trgovačke marke došle su do izražaja jer su bile cjenovno prihvatljivije u odnosu na globalno poznate proizvođačke marke. Danas su privatne marke kvalitetom bliže proizvođačkim markama iako su im cijene i dalje niske. Koliko su se privatne marke približile proizvođačkim, vidljivo je u poglavljima ovoga rada te u istraživanju koje je provedeno anketiranjem. U provedenom anketiranju sudjelovalo je 398 osoba, od toga 85,7% ženskih i 14,3% muških osoba. Najveći broj ispitanika su studenti i osobe sa srednjom stručnom spremom. U prvom postavljenom pitanju u anketi utvrđeno je da skoro svi ispitanici, njih 97,7% kupuje čokoladu. Također njih 44,2% ili 176 ispitanika čokoladu konzumira jednom tjedno, a tek 16,3%, to jest 65 osoba jednom mjesečno. Najviše ispitanika konzumira najpoznatiju čokoladu u svijetu Milku, njih 58,3%, odnosno 232 osobe. Ispitanicima je osim kvalitete, cijene i navike bitno da je i marka hrvatski proizvod.The appearance of branding, i.e. marking of products with different symbols and signs, signalled the start of a new trade era. Brands help distinguish between producers, as well as retailers of products. At first, store brands were quite different from name brands. They were not as appreciated as name brands because it was believed that if the price was lower, the product was of a lower quality. With the onset of recession, store brands became more prominent because their prices were more acceptable than the prices of world-famous name brands. Nowadays, store brands are closer in quality to name brands, while their prices remain low. The extent of similarity of store brands and name brands is described in the chapters of this paper and in the research conducted in the form of a survey. A total of 398 persons participated in the conducted survey, of which 85.7% were female and 14.3% were male. The largest number of participants were students and persons with secondary school qualifications. Analysis of answers of the first question posed in the survey showed that nearly participants (97.7% of them) buy chocolate. Furthermore, 44.2% or 176 participants eat chocolate once a week and only 16.3% or 65 participants eat chocolate once a month. The majority of participants eat the most famous brand of chocolate in the world in the world, Milka – 58.3% or 232 participants. Apart from quality, price and habitual purchase, the participants also indicated that it is important for them that the product is a Croatian brand