It also learnt that supermarket brands were the most popular choice, followed by Bega in second place.
Queensland, meanwhile, takes the national preference for “plain packaging” to another level, with residents in both rural and urban areas being more than twice as likely to opt for supermarket brands as they are for Bega.
“Block, grated and sliced cheese account for the lion’s share of cheese purchases in Australia, with supermarket brands dominating each category, ahead of second-most popular brand Bega,” said Michele Levine of Roy Morgan Research.
“As we have reported previously, cheese sales are gradually declining around Australia and across most age groups. It is therefore crucial for brands to know where their key consumers are located, and what health and dietary preferences and concerns motivate their purchasing decisions.”
Levine speculated that country Australians were more partial to cheese than city dwellers as they had more traditional tastes in food, were less likely to be concerned about their cholesterol and opted for more calcium in their diets.
“All of these attitudes would impact on their cheese-buying decisions,” she added.