Consumer demand is influenced by a variety of factors, including brand reputation, pricing strategies, product differentiation, and marketing efforts. The grocery store industry is one of the most competitive markets, with national brands, private-label store brands, and discount products all competing for consumer attention. This project challenges students to analyze how branding affects consumer demand by comparing different sources of information on the battle between national brands and private-label products.

Students will begin by researching how consumer demand for grocery products is shaped by price sensitivity, perceived quality, and psychological factors that influence purchasing decisions. They will collect information from a variety of sources, including academic studies, business reports, market research firms, and journalistic articles, to evaluate different perspectives on why consumers choose one brand over another. Some sources may argue that national brands dominate due to strong brand loyalty, while others may claim that private-label brands are gaining ground due to cost-conscious consumers.

Through this process, students will critically assess how different sources present their information—examining potential biases, evaluating the credibility of data, and determining whether the arguments are supported by strong economic reasoning. They should compare price elasticity of demand for national versus private brands, looking at how consumers react to price changes in each category. Additionally, they should consider the role of marketing, promotions, and psychological pricing in influencing demand.

The final output will be a comparative analysis where students evaluate how sources frame the grocery store brand battle and determine which arguments are most credible. By the end of this project, students will have a stronger understanding of how brand perception affects demand, while also improving their ability to critically assess economic information from multiple perspectives.