Most New Zealanders buy purchase their health and beauty products from supermarkets and a large majority – eight out of ten - believe mass produced hair care, skincare and cosmetics are just as good as premium alternatives. These were the findings of a survey of 25,408 Internet users in Europe, Asia Pacific, North America and the Middle East carried out by The Nielsen Company.

New Zealand was in the top three countries for people responding that they don’t try to appear stylish at all times, with only people from Hong Kong and Norway ahead.

Nearly seven in ten (69%) Kiwis purchase health and beauty products, with 86 percent of those visiting a supermarket to buy them. For other countries in the survey, an average of 58 percent of people bought their health and beauty products in supermarkets.

In the Asia Pacific region, only people in Australia and Hong Kong were less likely than Kiwis to buy health and beauty products.

Funnily enough, when it came to men spending time and money on their appearance, New Zealanders were the most enthusiastic people in the world, with 92 percent thinking this was a good thing.