The study by pricing strategy consultancy, Simon-Kucher, indicated that Brexit uncertainty is pushing remain and leave consumers into buying British goods.
It found that leave voters lead the way with 36% but also remainers are increasingly buying British goods (22%).
About half of those buying more British goods said it was a deliberate decision to support British firms, while only 14% said it was down to the higher price of imports. However, 67% were not prepared to pay more if the brand was British.
Rosalind Hunter, senior director at Simon-Kucher and author of the research said: “Customers are always looking for value when purchasing, and being a British brand alone isn’t enough even for those willing to pay more. It will take the right combination of Sales, Marketing and Pricing strategies, for a UK business to capitalise on this move towards buying British.”
63% of British consumers reported an increase in buying local produce, such as fruit, vegetables and cheeses.
The research also found that some British consumers were not very good at telling what brands were British. British brands quoted incorrectly as British by consumers included Prada, Nike and Walmart.
Hunter, added: “Many people confuse UK and foreign brands, and this points to an opportunity for British businesses to up their branding and marketing game to capture more of the ‘buy British’ market.
“Simply slapping a Union Jack on your packaging won’t be enough. Price (61%), quality (55%), and convenience (55%) are still the three top drivers for purchasing decisions. Indeed, with the continuing economic uncertainty, price is likely to stay as the number one concern for shoppers for the foreseeable future.”