Romanians and shopping: 3 out of 4 consumers go to stores for discounts and promotions, placements drive purchase

Romanians’ interest in promotional campaigns has increased and the mechanics and the manner in which they are communicated impact the purchase and loyalty towards the brand, reveals a study carried out by Highlight Agency with the support of Reveal Marketing Research

In a context dominated by financial concerns, every industry experiences constant changes in consumer behavior, which impacts the results obtained. These transformations are influenced both by the tendency of consumers to optimize their spending and by changing the profile of the audience, through the increase in the number of Gen Z buyers and the impact that their way of relating to brands and purchases generates.

The study carried out by Highlight Agency analyzed the consumption behaviors and preferences of Romanians in terms of in-store promotional campaigns and reveals the way in which brands can attract the attention of each generation of consumers so that their degree of involvement is high.

In 2025, promotion “beats” brand loyalty, especially in the case of instant prizes

Romanian consumers – regardless of which generation they belong to – are extremely interested in optimizing costs, and 72% of them indicated discounts and promotions as the main reason why they appreciate shopping in stores.

This aspect is especially preferred by Baby Boomers (79%) and Generation X (73%), but it is also the main reason why younger generations also choose to come to stores: 70% for Generation Y and 67% for Generation Z.

Promotions are sought by all categories of consumers, at the same time the impact of a well-communicated and signaled promotion that meets their needs is also very high in terms of brand loyalty: 78% of them state that promotions are one of the factors that influence, including the decision to change the brand they usually purchase.

At the same time, promotional campaigns can cause 55% of consumers to switch their usual brand (over 50% across all age groups: 57% Gen Y, 56% Gen X, 54% Baby Boomers and 50% Gen Z).

Beyond price reductions, one in four Romanians declares that instant prizes are the desired type of reward in promo campaigns, being preferred to the greatest extent by consumers representative of Generation Z (28%).

And promo campaigns that use such prizes in turn have a high impact on brand loyalty, with 69% of respondents saying that instant prizes positively influence their decision to switch brands they regularly use.

“In this context, the strategic approach and creativity of a campaign must be perfectly combined with a good knowledge of consumption typologies, in order to adapt to the wishes and needs of each category of the public and thus obtain the desired results from a promo campaign or a promotion. From choosing the right medium of communication to defining the typology of prizes, along with an impeccable execution that attracts attention and meets exactly the consumer’s need, everything comes together to get the desired answer in an environment defined by intense economic pressures and in which brand loyalty no longer has such a large weight,” said Alexandru Petrea, Highlight Agency’s Chief Operating Officer.

Creativity and execution of in-store placements influence purchases and loyalty

Promotional campaigns attract the attention of almost two-thirds of consumers (72%), while 64% of respondents said they lead them to make impulse purchases, referring to both special and strategic placements.

The majority of respondents (55%) perceive special placements in stores (creative islands, theatricalizations, etc.) as strategies to promote the products on offer or promotion, which underlines the effectiveness of these tactics in attracting the attention of consumers.

And further, 40% of them say that special placements influence their purchase decision. They have a profound impact on spontaneous consumer trends and influence Generation Z the most (45%).

Strategic placement elements such as end-of-shelf placement or in the cash register area not only attract attention, but also shape brand loyalty, encouraging impulse purchases, with 67% of respondents saying they purchase products from the cash register area. This behavior is more pronounced among younger buyers, from Generations Z and Y.

“Special in-store placements and product brand switching drivers underscore a deep connection between visual marketing strategies and consumer purchasing behavior. Effective promotion through special placements and the emphasis on quality and price as the main decision factors show that people are highly receptive to visual stimuli and valuable offers. Moreover, promotions and special offers are key factors in purchases at cash registers, balancing the tendency to avoid impulse purchases. Thus, the strategic placement of products at cash registers remains an effective marketing tactic to stimulate sales and influence purchase decisions at the point of sale,” said Florin Bădescu, Account Director at Highlight Agency.

What types of promotions and prizes are Romanians looking for?

When it comes to signing up for promotional campaigns, more than half of Romanians (especially those from Generation X and Baby Boomers, men, with medium and high incomes) prefer promotions that also use online platforms, but in-store promotions, with a representative present, offer more confidence to buyers.

Second place is taken by instant win promotions with a percentage of 22%, this time the majority coming from Generation Z (28%), followed by WhatsApp (10%) and SMS (8%) sign-ups at a long distance.

Romanian consumers prefer useful and immediately applicable prizes in everyday life, considering online vouchers (47%), household appliances and household items (45%) as the most attractive types of prizes.

An interesting point to note is that Gen Z consumers indicated home appliances and homewares as one of their preferred types of rewards (77%), second and only a close second behind experience rewards, which are the top choice among younger consumers (81%).

Baby Boomers (86%), Gen X (89%) cite gadgets as their preferred type of rewards, while Gen Y consumers equally prefer gadgets (79%) and experiences (79%).

“Although we would have expected to see perhaps greater differences between generations and the way they relate to promotions and promotional campaigns, the macroeconomic context seems to have led to seeing more common aspects, both in terms of the interest they give to promotions, regardless of age, and in terms of the desired results (prizes) from them. Generational differences are more pronounced when it comes to how promotional campaigns can attract attention and drive purchases, for each generation,” said Marius Luican, GM Reveal Marketing Research.

At the opposite pole, 6% of Romanians have never participated in promotions of any kind, their answers indicating a significant barrier of trust on the part of potential participants. The main reason why respondents avoid registering in contests is distrust in their transparency (39%), lack of interest in prizes in general (32%), the belief that they are just a way to collect personal data (26%), the lack of time required for this action (24%) and the opinion that it is too complicated to participate or they do not have the right person to explain it to them (10%).

“An important element to remember is that transparency in the organization of promotions, together with offering valuable rewards, can transform initial reluctance into long-term loyalty, amplifying consumer commitment to the brand and stimulating active participation. Therefore, the way in which these campaigns are carried out, the expertise of the agencies and the trust given to them by marketers will make the difference between a campaign that will attract the positive attention of consumers or not. Our role as consultants thus becomes more and more important,” explained Florin Bădescu.

For more details and relevant insights, you can download an extended version of the study here.

The study carried out by Highlight Agency with the support of Reveal Marketing Research analyzed the answers provided by a sample of 1006 respondents from the urban environment (51% women, 49% men), most of them full-time employees (76%), with high and average monthly household incomes, higher education (60%), married (66%).

Highlight Agency is an independent advertising agency with a 16-year history and extensive experience in the BTL field, both in the local and European markets. Highlight Agency provides full-service communication with a focus on the BTL sector and operates from a central office in Bucharest, with six regional branches in Sibiu, Cluj, Brașov, Pitești, Suceava, and Constanța. We have multiple logistics centers and a network of over 650 professionals (brand ambassadors, suppliers, partners) throughout the country. The agency’s client portfolio includes companies such as Ursus Breweries, PepsiCo Romania, Beiersdorf Romania, Pernod Ricard, Lidl Discount, Danone, Veranda Mall, Kandia Dulce, Heidi Chocolat, Telekom, Asahi CE & Europe.