Ghanaian consumers reward brands giving ‘relief at the shelf’

New data from market research company Maverick Research shows that many Ghanaian shoppers – battered by two years of inflation and still living with its aftershocks – are rewarding brands that provide what they describe as “relief at the shelf”.  

But relief, the research suggests, is not simply a lower price. It is a signal of empathy. 

“By the first quarter of this year, inflation was easing from its 2023 peak. Yet disposable income remained tight, and consumer behaviour had permanently adjusted. Ghanaian shoppers are deliberate. And they are watching,” says Ato Micah, Managing Principal at Maverick.  

In a second quarter survey of the Ghanaian market, 90% of consumers said they now expect foreign goods to reduce prices as the local cedi currency strengthens. Seventy-three percent reported switching to more affordable alternatives. Eighty-eight percent said they would reconsider their brand – if they felt the price was fair. 

“This is not simply bargain hunting. It is a recalibration of what constitutes value,” observes Micah. 

Different strategies – both worked 

During their research, the research team noted something unusual. Two brands tried two very different strategies, but the result was that both worked – for the same reason. 

One food company cut prices. A modest price reduction of about two percentage points unlocked a surge in unit sales and a material regain of market share. According to Maverick data, the category reversed its decline and the brand gained roughly three percentage points in volume as consumers returned. 

Another brand – also in food – took a different route. Instead of cutting shelf price, it offered bonus packs at the same price and paired them with retail activations. The effect was immediate. Volume surged, outpacing the category. 

“Both strategies delivered growth. And both were interpreted by consumers as a signal: someone is trying to help,” explains Micah. 

What consumers are saying is bigger than these two cases 

The retail audit suggests the pattern is not confined to cooking staples. Rather, it’s present in beverages, household cleaning products and everyday personal care.  

It points to a structural shift in a market still living through a post-inflation hangover. Ghanaian consumers are not chasing the lowest price – they are chasing the fairest exchange. 

Says Micah: “Relief means: the product stretches. Relief means: the product remains consistent. Relief means: the brand is on the consumer’s side. 

“Executives across the FMCG sector enter the final quarter of the year facing a fundamental question: are they prepared for this flight to value – where trust is built not by slogans, but by tangible proof of empathy? 

“In Ghana today, the brands that understand that truth, and act on it, are the ones winning both hearts and market share.”