Patternfield Insights

Evidence for better
retail decisions.

Independent research and methods for understanding consumer behaviour, category performance and retail measurement. Patternfield publishes selected work openly. Active clients receive access to deeper intelligence, benchmarks and analytical studies. Commissioned client work remains private.

Explore our shopper insights, category analysis and merchandising measurement capabilities.

Featured study

Case study Public

WHEN THREE SUPERMARKETS BECAME ONE

The consolidation of Countdown, Foodtown and Woolworths changed New Zealand supermarket brand architecture, but the available evidence does not establish that this caused Woolworths New Zealand’s subsequent market-share decline.

A historical investigation into whether the consolidation of three differentiated supermarket banners strengthened Progressive Enterprises through scale and consistency, or weakened its competitive position by collapsing distinct retail propositions into a single brand.

Read the research paper

The Insights library

Selected work, as the evidence develops.

Retail Intelligence · Public desk analysis

Fiji Grocery Prices in 2026: What Inflation Figures Don't Tell Us

Why falling monthly prices, higher annual inflation and rising household costs can coexist

Read article Download PDF 22 October 2026

Research · Public

CAN A GOOD MESSAGE OVERCOME BAD PACKAGING?

The evidence supports some packaging effects, but a general corrective-message remedy has not been established.

Published 17 October 2026 · Paper 002

Read the research paper

Case study Public

WHEN THREE SUPERMARKETS BECAME ONE

Read the research paper

Method Public

WHEN LIFT ISN'T INCREMENTALITY

Why observed sales movement is not automatically evidence that a campaign caused it, and what a credible counterfactual needs to establish.

Coming soon

Research Public

THE AVERAGE STORE DOESN'T EXIST

How store-level variation can disappear inside network averages, and why commercial decisions often depend on understanding the distribution underneath the headline result.

Coming soon

Method Public

THE COUNTERFACTUAL PROBLEM

How to estimate what would have happened without an intervention when perfect experimental conditions are unavailable.

Coming soon

Client intelligence

THE ANATOMY OF REPEAT PURCHASE

A deeper examination of trial, repeat, retention and switching behaviour across purchase cycles.

Coming soon

Included with active Patternfield engagements.

Client intelligence

PROMOTION, PRICE AND MEDIA

Understanding how pricing and promotional activity interact with retail-media measurement and campaign interpretation.

Coming soon

Included with active Patternfield engagements.

Client intelligence

MISSION MATTERS

How stock-up, top-up, immediate-consumption and other shopping missions can change how observed campaign effects should be interpreted.

Coming soon

Included with active Patternfield engagements.

Research Public

TOURISM IS A CONFOUNDER

Why visitor flows, seasonal population changes and location-specific demand can distort retail comparisons, particularly in tourism-dependent markets.

Coming soon

About the editorial classifications

Case study: Evidence from a specific market, commercial problem, campaign or historical example.
Research: Patternfield analysis of shopper behaviour, retail markets, categories and commercial questions.
Method: Explanations of measurement, causal inference and analytical problems relevant to retail decision-making.
Client intelligence: Higher-value research, benchmarks and analytical studies available to active Patternfield clients.

Client intelligence

Deeper evidence.
Reserved for clients.

Patternfield clients receive access to selected research, benchmark studies and analytical briefings produced across our work. The library grows as our evidence base grows and is included with active Patternfield engagements.

Client intelligence