How much FMCG giants pay to know the market in detail

The concern over rivals' market shares, as well as the increasingly frequent changes in consumption habits see companies spend hundreds of thousands of euros every year on market studies, but only big players can afford to commission a new survey every month: the biggest 100 clients bring 60-70% of a market estimated at 35 million euros, say "researchers".

Giant companies in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) sector, which allocate budgets of over 300,000 euros for market surveys, have remained loyal clients of research companies.

The most valuable data they buy are related to their rivals' market shares, but in the past year producers have spent more money to find out how Romanians consumption habits are shifting.

"Following the general trend of the economy, many companies are in a position to cut their market research budgets, with size varying significantly from one industry to the next. The most affected sectors are the auto and the financial sectors, while the least affected is FMCG," says Adina Nica, Head of Research within market research company Synovate Romania.