Ipsos maps how brand influence grows from necessity to indulgence

New Delhi: Ipsos Shopper Insights has released new thinking on how shoppers make purchase decisions across categories, highlighting how the role of brands evolves as consumers move from buying essentials to indulgent products.

Drawing on years of shopper research across sectors, the Ipsos team has synthesised learnings from multiple client studies to decode the logic behind choice at the point of purchase. Central to this framework is a Purchase Decision Hierarchy, or Decision Tree, which maps the attributes shoppers consider as they navigate needs, priorities and preferences.

This hierarchy is plotted across what Ipsos calls the Spectrum of Necessity, a model that classifies purchases into three broad territories: Essential Commodities, Casual Indulgence and Pleasurable Indulgence. The framework reflects how decision-making shifts based on context, involvement and consumer mindset.

According to the findings, brand influence is lowest in Essential Commodities, where purchases are largely functional, low-involvement and habit-driven. Price and performance dominate decision-making, while brands primarily serve as cues for recall and reliability. In such categories, success depends on clear communication of functional benefits, strong reasons to buy, and high visibility at the point of sale. Distinctive packaging, widespread availability and simple messaging help ease decision-making in these moments.

As consumers move into Casual Indulgence, which includes discretionary but everyday purchases, branding plays a more significant role. Here, brands act as shortcuts to quality and reassurance, helping consumers make quicker decisions. Sensory cues such as flavour strongly influence preference and repeat purchase, while pack size and format gain importance depending on consumption context. Marketers in these categories must focus on building trust through credible information, consistency and relevance across touchpoints.

In the Pleasurable Indulgence space, often associated with luxury and premium categories, the brand becomes central to the purchase decision. Ipsos notes that these purchases are driven by emotion, aspiration and self-expression rather than functional benefits. Storytelling, heritage and symbolism play a critical role, with strategies such as limited editions, curated experiences and controlled access helping build desire through exclusivity and perceived value.

“By recognising that the significance of a brand shifts across purchase occasions, marketers can more effectively allocate resources and craft messages that resonate with the consumer’s mindset in each specific context,” said Archana Gupta, Executive Director and Head of Shopper Insights, Ipsos India.

“The key is understanding whether the consumer is making a functional choice, a value-led decision, or an emotional investment in a story and identity,” added Gupta.

Reinforcing this perspective, Shruti Patodia, Research Director, Ipsos Shopper Insights, emphasised the importance of fit-for-purpose strategies. “When marketers acknowledge that brand meaning evolves along the purchase spectrum, they are better equipped to design strategies that are informed, relevant, and impactful at every stage of the shopper journey.”