CONSUMER BEHAVIOR – AUSTRALIA

Over 14 million Australians are now consuming alcohol – driven by increases for wine and RTDs

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Feb-24

New data from Roy Morgan’s Alcohol Consumption Report shows that 14,013,000 Australians aged 18+ consumed alcohol in an average four-week period in the 12 months to September 2023. This compares to 13,073,000 (66.3%) in the year to March 2020, prior to the pandemic. The number of Australians drinking wine increased from 8,096,000 (41.0%) pre-pandemic to 9,068,000 (44.1%) in the year to September 2023. The spirits category enjoyed a clear ‘pandemic boost’ of over 1 million extra consumers; in the 12 months to December 2021 there were 6,759,000 (33.8%) Australians drinking spirits. However, this ‘boost’ has receded; now 5,623,000 (27.3%) Australians drink spirits, down slightly from 5,671,000 (28.7%) pre-pandemic. The standout alcoholic beverages over the course of the pandemic have been ‘Ready-to-drink’ (RTDs) for which consumption increased from 2,138,000 Australians (10.8%) pre-pandemic to 4,319,000 (21.0%) in late 2023, an increase of over 2.1 million people. Meanwhile, now 6,725,000 Australians (32.7%) consume beer, down significantly from the 7,413,000 (37.6%) who did so in the 12 months to March 2020 just before the pandemic struck.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Apple Pay overtook Afterpay in average users in 2023 to become the third most widely used digital payment service in Australia

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 7-Feb-24

The latest Roy Morgan Digital Payments Report shows that Apple Pay has more than doubled its share of users in the Australian market over the last three years, and it overtook Afterpay amongst Australians during 2023 as user numbers of Afterpay plateaued. Apple Pay is now used by almost 4 million Australians (17.7% of the population) in an average 12 months and is clearly the third most widely used digital payment service. The user numbers for Apple Pay exceeded that of Afterpay, which is now used by around 3.4 million people (15.2%), for the first time in March 2023. Afterpay launched in the Australian marketplace in late 2014, just over a year before Apple Pay entered the Australian market late in 2015. The rapid growth in user numbers for Apple Pay contrasts with the digital payment services from PayPal and BPAY, which are both used by over 40% of Australians, but have not experienced much growth in recent years. These new digital payment findings are from Roy Morgan Single Source, Australia’s leading consumer survey, derived from in-depth interviews with around 60,000 Australians annually.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, APPLE PAY, AFTERPAY LIMITED, PAYPAL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BPAY PTY LTD

Aussies to splash $465 million in the name of love amid cost-of-living squeeze

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Feb-24

Research from the Australian Retailers Association, in conjunction with Roy Morgan, shows that 3.4 million Australians will buy Valentine’s Day gifts this year, down 700,000 from 2023. Australians are forecast to spend $465 million this Valentine’s Day (down 4.1% or $20 million from 2023). While the overall spend and number of Valentine’s Day shoppers is tipped to fall this year, those who are gift-giving are set to spend $135 per head (up from $118 in 2023 or 14.4%). The 18-34 age demographic remains the highest-spending demographic and is set to spend $145 million on Valentine’s Day this year, down substantially from $215 million last year. They are closely followed by those aged 35-49, who will spend $140 million, broadly the same as last year. Flowers (mentioned by 48% of respondents), chocolates (33%) and dinner or a trip away (11%) are set to be the most popular purchases. This ARA-Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australia-wide cross-section of 5,670 Australians aged 18+ on Wednesday January 24 – Wednesday January 31, including 685 who plan on buying gifts for Valentine’s Day.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

There were nearly two million extra vehicle insurance policies in 2023

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Dec-23

New data from Roy Morgan shows that there were 33.7 million vehicle insurance policies across Australia in October 2023, compared with 32.1 million in October 2022. The year-on-year increase of 1.6 million follows the substantial rise in Australia’s population after the winding down of COVID-19 restrictions, which contributed to an increasing number of registered motor vehicles on the nation’s roads. The research also shows that cost-of-living pressures are prompting more Australian to look for the best vehicle insurance deals; some 7.7% of vehicle insurance policies were switched to another company in the year to October, while 25.9% were renewed after approaching another company. These are some of the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source insurance data, derived from in-depth personal interviews conducted with over 60,000 Australians per annum.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Black Friday sales tipped to buck Christmas slowdown trend

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 2-Nov-23

Research by the Australian Retailers Association in partnership with Roy Morgan reveals that shoppers are tipped to spend $6.36bn across the four-day Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend (November 24-27); this is up 3.0% from last year. It is expected that many Australian shoppers will use the sales extravaganza to purchase gifts for Christmas. Broader pre-Christmas spending in 2023 is tipped to edge in line with last year’s results as shoppers increasingly tighten their budgets in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis. Provisional forecasts by the ARA and Roy Morgan suggest that $66.8bn will be spent in the November to December 24 Christmas trading period – broadly in line with last year (up slightly by 0.1% or $74,000).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

Parties and pumpkins take centre stage for Halloween

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 30-Oct-23

Once considered a children’s event, Halloween is evolving into a beloved Aussie tradition for adults. Research from the Australian Retailers Association in partnership with Roy Morgan shows that 1.3 million Australians will hold or attend Halloween parties without children in 2023. The data underscores Halloween’s multifaceted appeal as both a family-focused occasion and an event for adults. The age group most likely to host or attend Halloween parties are those aged 18-35, with 16% planning to do so. It comes as popularity for Halloween products continues to surge, seeing sales upticks of 25 per cent each year over the past five years – crowning Halloween as the fastest-growing event on the retail calendar. Home decorations remain the most popular Halloween-specific purchase, growing 14 per cent year on year, while supermarkets are set to sell more than one million kilograms of pumpkins for the Halloween rush. Australians are forecast to spend $490m on Halloween in 2023, which is 14 per cent higher than in 2022.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION

Shoppers switching to cheaper brands as cost of living hits

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Original article by Matt Bell
The Australian – Page: 15 : 24-Oct-23

Research by Emarsys shows that the cost-of-living crisis has prompted 63 per cent of Australian consumers to buy cheaper brands, compared with 49 per cent of consumers globally. Emarsys CEO Joanna Milliken says consumers have become more focused on saving money rather than factors such as brand loyalty or sustainability. Milliken suggests that many consumers are likely to switch permanently to cheaper brands. Emarsys is an omnichannel subidiary of software group SAP; its survey comprised 2,000 consumers in Australia and 10,000 globally.

CORPORATES
EMARSYS, SAP AG

A staggering number of people believe they can justify shoplifting

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Original article by Ash Cant
The New Daily – Page: Online : 27-Sep-23

Research from Monash University shows that many Australians believe that shoplifting is acceptable due to the cost-of-living crisis. Some 28 per cent of respondents are of the view that it is fine to take an item from a store without paying for it. However, 93 per cent of consumers aged 55+ said that shoplifting is not at all justifiable, compared with just 47 per cent of those aged 18-34. Meanwhile, 30 per cent of respondents believe it is fine to change the price tags on products. Major supermarket chains have ramped up their anti-theft measures in response to a spike in shoplifting.

CORPORATES
MONASH UNIVERSITY

Halloween hits sweet spot with Aussies – $490 million boost predicted

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Original article by
Australian Retailers Association – Page: Online : 26-Sep-23

Research from the Australian Retailers Association in collaboration with Roy Morgan shows that more than 5.3 million Australians will celebrate Halloween in 2023, an increase of 300,000 year-on-year. Those celebrating Halloween plan to do so in a variety of ways, such as attending or hosting a Halloween-themed party, decorating their homes, getting dressed up and going out, or staying home and welcoming trick or treaters. Total spending on Halloween is forecast to reach $490m, up 14 per cent on 2022; average spending per person is forecast to rise 8.1% to $93. ARA CEO Paul Zahra says the increased spend this year in the face of cost-of-living pressures demonstrates the growing popularity of Halloween in Australia, particularly for adults.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, ROY MORGAN LIMITED

One-in-seven Australians (3.1 million) live in a house with a swimming pool or spa

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 16-Aug-23

New research from Roy Morgan shows that more than 3.1 million Australians (14%) now live in a house with a swimming pool or spa; this is up slightly from 13% when Roy Morgan last looked at the prevalence of swimming pools and spas around Australia in late 2018. The research, which was undertaken in the three months to March 2023, shows that 19% of Brisbane residents live in a house with a swimming pool or spa, compared with 17% of Perth residents and 16% of Sydney residents. Swimming pool ownership is below the national average in other capital cities. Adelaide is just below the national average on 13% while only 11% of Canberra residents and 9% of Melbourne residents live in a house with a swimming pool or spa. People in regional Queensland have the highest level of swimming pool or spa ownership, at 24%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED