U.S. Goods Are Preferred, Says Poll

As Americans prepare to celebrate the first Independence Day post-9/11, a new survey from Euro RSCG MVBMS Partners in New York reveals that more than 4 out of 10 U.S. consu mers don’t care much about where the products they buy come from—but one out of three prefers to buy Amer ican none theless.

The online survey of 1,000 Americans was conducted late last month by Insight Express, a market-research firm.

The survey’s purpose was to uncover how Americans believe they are perceived by the world, and to what extent that perception leads to purchasing decisions, said Ira Mata thia, the shop’s director of strategy.

“Almost one-third, over 32 percent, said they were interested in a product’s provenance and ‘preferred to buy American in most cases,’ ” he said.

Still, according to the survey, two-fifths (41 percent) of those polled pay no attention to goods’ origin or said it makes no difference to them....