COTTON LIFESTYLE MONITOR  FAST FACTS

Global Lifestyle Monitor: Turkey

Following a significant contraction in 2009, the Turkish economy is on the rebound. The recovery that began in 2010 is expected to continue in 2011 and Turkish consumer confidence has returned to pre-recession levels. The growth of professional jobs and greater availability of credit have invigorated consumer enthusiasm for shopping and apparel. Turkish consumers value apparel quality and style, and the most recent Global Lifestyle Monitor survey found that Turkish consumers are among the most frequent shoppers of all countries surveyed. In particular, Turkish consumers ages 15-34 are shifting the nation's apparel shopping habits and preferences and driving denim demand.

SHIFTING SHOPPERS

Over the past decade, there has been a proliferation of new shopping centers in Turkey, offering Turkish consumers more places to shop for clothing and greater access to new retailers and brands. This change in the retail landscape has also lead to changes in consumer shopping preferences. Specialty stores, where 32% of Turkish consumers purchase most of their clothing, are the most popular. Younger Turkish consumers (ages 15-34) are more likely than older consumers (ages 35-54) to buy clothing at specialty stores (39% versus 24%) while older consumers prefer independent stores and street markets. Consumers who favor specialty stores are drawn to the selection and variety of items available. In contrast, Turkish consumers who shop mostly at independent stores and street markets cite good/low prices as the main attraction.

PURCHASING PATTERNS

On average, 55% of Turkish consumers shop for clothing at least once per month, and 74% of consumers say they love or enjoy shopping for clothing. Younger consumers (ages 15-34), who make up 35% of Turkey's population, are even more enthusiastic. In their survey responses, 63% said they shop for clothing at least once per month, and 78% said they love or enjoy clothes shopping (versus 41% and 66%, respectively, of older consumers). Not surprisingly, younger Turkish consumers are significantly more likely than older Turkish consumers to purchase clothing on impulse (34% versus 19%). The combination of impulsivity, shopping zeal and high shopping frequency bode well for Turkish consumer apparel purchasing in the coming year.

When asked if they purchased less, the same, or more clothing this year compared to last year, 60% of Turkish respondents said they purchased the same amount, 24% reported purchasing less clothing and 16% reported purchasing more. When Turkey's survey respondents were segmented by age, younger consumers were twice as likely as older consumers to say they purchased more clothing this year compared to last year (20% versus 10%).

DEVELOPING DENIM DEVOTEES

Turkish consumers report owning an average of eight denim garments, the second lowest ownership of all countries surveyed. While their overall denim ownership is low, Turkish consumers dedicate a greater portion of their denim wardrobe to jeans than any other country surveyed; approximately five of their eight denim items are jeans. In 2010, 12% of all Turkish clothing purchases were denim jeans, behind only underwear (26%) and T-shirts (16%). This puts Turkey's denim purchasing rate on par with denim-loving European countries like Germany (12%) and the United Kingdom (10%).

Love of denim is strongest among younger Turkish consumers, with 78% of those aged 15-34 saying they love or enjoy wearing denim, compared to 44% for ages 35-54. On average, younger Turkish consumers own nine denim items, and almost seven of those are denim jeans. Turkey's younger shoppers also report wearing denim bottoms 4.4 days per week, compared with 2.7 days for consumers aged 35-54. Future purchasing intentions for denim are positive, and younger consumers are driving demand. In the next 12 months, 78% of consumers aged 15-34 plans to purchase the same amount or more denim jeans, versus 53% of consumers ages 35-54. Denim jeans offer retailers an opportunity to foster denim demand and capture this emerging consumer base.

DECISIONS ON CLOTHING AND COTTON

When asked what influences their apparel spending, Turkish consumers rated durability the highest of all countries surveyed. Ninety-seven percent of consumers said durability is an important factor in their apparel purchase decisions, followed by price (94%), color (93%), quality (92%), finish (88%) and style (83%). The primary purchase drivers are consistent across the younger and older segments of Turkish consumers, however within secondary drivers, brand name is more important to younger Turkish consumers than older consumers (83% versus 60%).

With their emphasis on durability, quality and style, 69% of Turkish consumers prefer cotton and cotton blends for the clothing they wear the most, and 66% say cotton and cotton blends are best suited for today's fashions. As the ranks of young professional workers swell in Turkey, their preference for casual clothing in the workplace will have them seeking out cotton and denim.

ABOUT THE SURVEY
This issue is part of a special series of Supply Chain Insights reporting results from the Global Lifestyle Monitor survey, a biennial consumer research study sponsored by Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated. In the 2010 survey, 5,000 consumers (approximately 500 in each of 10 countries) were surveyed via telephone and face-to-face interviews. Respondents were male and female, aged 15 to 54. The following countries were included in the 2010 survey: Brazil, China, Colombia, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.