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Tag: Kantar Report

  • Brands must recognise what matters in people’s lives and focus on affordability: Kantar Report

    Brands must recognise what matters in people’s lives and focus on affordability: Kantar Report

    Mumbai: Data and analytics company Kantar has found in recently released data from Kantar’s Global Issues Barometer that the invasion of Ukraine remains the #1 concern of people in India, followed by economic worries and the cost-of-living crisis. Asked to spontaneously share their concerns, 37 per cent of people mentioned the war, followed by 29 per cent mentioning economic issues as their top concerns currently. Climate and environmental issues have also emerged among the top three concerns. Covid-19 is no longer seen as a pressing issue like the rest of the world, except in China where lockdowns are just lifting.

    Kantar’s Global Issues Barometer study is a detailed analysis of eight hundred people’s attitudes in India contrasted to eleven thousand people across nineteen countries (representing 68 per cent of global GDP) as they strive to adapt to the tempest of global events. The study asked open-ended questions to understand peoples’ real opinions and used Kantar’s TextAI technology to understand and analyse the responses.

    The war in Ukraine

    The war in Ukraine is currently the biggest concern in India, as in every geographic region surveyed. As expected, the concern is much lower than its European counterparts. There is a high correlation between concern and proximity. 64 per cent of people across the globe mentioned the war as a concern, compared to only one in three of India’s (37 per cent).

    The cost-of-living crisis

    The cost-of-living crisis is number two on people’s minds. Price increases in fuel, food and drink, and household bills have been noticed the most. Compared to the world, Indians feel the pinch of price increases on white goods more.

    While 35 per cent of the population report their household financial situation is deteriorating, 46 per cent believe the general economic outlook of their country is negative right now. People are struggling to meet their living costs, with 32 per cent of households experiencing difficulties meeting their monthly outgoings and 11 per cent unable to meet their commitments. The problem looks set to continue. A further 71 per cent of people believe inflation will continue to rise even further.

    But there is a sliver of hope as two thirds of people in India feel secure in their jobs and expect a pay rise that will match inflation.

    Eco-anxiety

    Climate inaction is causing remarkably high levels of distress, with more than half of people experiencing eco-anxiety.

    Two-thirds of the population believe businesses have a responsibility to solve the climate crisis, while 84 per cent of consumers want to buy environmentally sustainable products but need brands to do more work on affordability.

    Discussing the findings, Kantar managing director – South Asia insights division Soumya Mohanty observed, “The current tempest of global events is affecting long-term plans as well as short-term behaviour of Indians. Beyond making cutbacks on general expenditure, people are rationalising their future savings and working harder.”

    “Luxury goods, entertainment and holidays look likely to be the sectors to suffer next. Almost half of households (41 per cent) are considering economising subscriptions to entertainment subscriptions – one industry that did well during the pandemic. Longer-term, almost three fourth of people say the current turmoil is impacting their big life plans; saving for big future life events (47 per cent), children’s education (27 per cent) and retirement plans (24 per cent). So, the impact of this crisis lies in the future as much as in the present and can influence not just financial but also emotional well-being. Brands must therefore recognize what matters in people’s lives and examine brand’s relevance in supporting people to overcome these challenges,” she added.

    Kantar executive managing director South Asia insights division Deepender Rana added, “Brands that can offer green affordable solutions are likely to be favoured and become mainstream. With inflation rocketing, in their daily lives, consumers are considering solutions that can help reduce energy and fuel expenditure. They expect brands to do the same and be more efficient, while simultaneously raising the bar on ethical production. If anything, the cost-of-living crisis has reminded people that green products/services shouldn’t come at a premium. Insights from Kantar’s Global Issues Barometer can help brands and businesses understand how to navigate during these uncertain and fast changing times.”

  • Hygiene, health & wellness remain key consumer concerns: Kantar report

    Hygiene, health & wellness remain key consumer concerns: Kantar report

    Mumbai: Emerging from the pandemic, the Indian FMCD (Fast Moving Consumer Durables) market presents significant opportunities. While the pandemic caused much anxiety amongst consumers in general, there was a high demand in the FMCD health and wellness space, according to the latest Sustainability Report from Kantar. New-market segments such as air purifiers, ACs with purification filters, smaller sub-categories such as UVC disinfection categories, UVC Desk lamps, and growth of personal care health tech products such as smartwatches and fitness monitors saw amped-up sales, says the report. Consumption patterns have changed significantly – towards safety, premiumness and technologically advanced products.

    The data-driven analytics and brand consulting company unveiled the FMCD Sustainability Report – “Walking the Talk on Sustainability with Consumers – a roadmap for India’s FMCD Sector.” The Kantar report reveals that the Indian consumers are also becoming more conscious about the impact of human activity on climate change and other environmental factors. The report highlights how the intersection of the FMCD sector and sustainability will further enable growth. It aims to provide key sustainability roadmaps for FMCD brands to help them navigate the ecosystem with sustainable solutions.

    The India Story: Post-pandemic Consumer Attitudes and Behaviour

    According to the Kantar report, consumer reactions in the wake of Covid-19 continue to evolve and the Indian market presents several opportunities for the FMCD brands. The report further states that cautious consumption is the norm – hygiene, health and wellness are key consumer concerns, where 91 per cent Indian households are washing hands more often now, 47 per cent Indian households claim increased toilet cleaning, more so in rural (49 per cent) vs urban (43 per cent).

    Data also suggests that consumers are changing education and work codes, with work ecosystems being reshaped by digital transformation. With accelerated digital adoption, there is 125 per cent growth in usages of smart devices among internet users, paving the way for the emergence of a smart home. Some of them are – smart lights, smart speakers, smart air purifiers, smart display, smart home entertainment and smart cleaning.

    There is also evidence to suggest that ‘value’ is a key factor for consumers since post-pandemic financial concerns have cropped up, where 73 per cent attribute Covid-19 to have impacted household income, while 67 per cent pay greater attention to prices while shopping. This has led to an overall joint accountability of both businesses and consumers towards adopting a stronger sense of collective corporate responsibility, according to the report.

    “The FMCD sector is witnessing rapid growth even in post pandemic phase while we’ve also seen a great consumer shift towards sustainability and the environment urging brands to rethink their strategies,” said Kantar Insights Division Qualitative & Lead- Sustainability Practice South Asia managing director Paru Minocha. “Consumers have greater expectation from companies than from themselves; this is likely to be amplified in FMCD, where personal behaviors post purchase is led primarily by the policies/features of the product and company they use. With this report, we are putting forward recommendations to brands which help in solving customer tensions with sustainable solutions, addressing barriers such as packaging, service models, repairability, and return and recycling policies.”

    Commenting on the focus and relevance of FMCD, Kantar Shopper and CX Domain lead Sushmita Balasubramaniam said, “Consumers today are more aware and concerned about sustainability and other issues like pollution, carbon emissions, etc. For example, in the mobile phones category, consumers expect brands to address macro environment issues of carbon emissions and plastic pollution whereas in the computing category – carbon emissions, packaging and tax evasion are palpable concerns. In appliances, concerns exist on pollution (air and plastic) and emissions besides packaging. While we see consumers consciously making smarter choices, the responsibility resides with brands andmarketeers to provide sustainable solutions to resonate and build credibility with their audiences moving forward.”

    Launched at the recent CII’s FMCD Summit, the Kantar report also provided key recommendations for the FMCD brands such as embedding Green Lifecycle across portfolio and processes, connecting the environment and the everyday, addressing Consumer Knowledge Barriers and meeting accountability expectations. With the suggested roadmap, the report also highlights noticeable consumer trends that lead to a collective accountability of both businesses and audiences, seeking the path to a more sustainable world.

  • Marketers reinforcing harmful gender-based stereotypes

    Marketers reinforcing harmful gender-based stereotypes

    MUMBAI: As per a recently released AdReaction report by Kantar, marketers today are reinforcing rather than helping to eradicate harmful gender-based stereotypes. While the clear majority of marketers globally (more than 75 per cent) think they are avoiding gender stereotypes, 76 per cent of female consumers and 71 per cent of male consumers believe that the way they’re portrayed in advertising is completely out of touch.

    The latest AdReaction report from Kantar includes analysis on advertising creativity and media effectiveness both globally and in India. The latest edition is based on a comprehensive analysis of how women and men are portrayed in ads, and how they respond differently to marketing. The report aims to guide marketers on their gender progress journey and help brands grow, by Getting Gender Right. 

    Commenting on the study findings, Kantar Millward Brown, South Asia managing director Vishikh Talwar said, “Gender is a sensitive topic – one that society is currently renegotiating across social, cultural, political and commercial spheres. The India leg of the survey comes at a very pertinent time as the subject of gender portrayal has gained immense importance both globally and closer to home. The report highlights that the bulk of ads in India are targeted at women; but marketers appear to be targeting them led more by stereotypes. Gender targeting should not be an either/ or decision and we need to challenge these outdated assumptions. From a portrayal perspective, more emphases need to be made towards aspirational and authoritative roles. The industry, as a whole, needs to be more aware than ever that things need to change”