The COVID-19 outbreak looks set to further deepen and accelerate a well-established trend towards ‘cocooning’ in South Africa as families stay home to keep safe and make better use of their finances – a trend that is likely to outlast the pandemic. This is according to new Consumer Pulse research from GfK South Africa into the behaviours of online consumers during the Level 5 lockdown.
Some 85 percent of consumers who usually work full time reported significant impact on their working habits. Nearly half (47%) of fulltime employees were able to work remotely, but among this group 74 percent claimed they were working less than normal. These usually time-poor consumers took the opportunity to put their careers and performance aside, while they focused on themselves, projects and interests they don’t usually have time for, and the people they really care about.
“The national lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa is reshaping consumers’ behaviours in every sphere – from shopping to media consumption to work,” says Rachel Thompson, Insights Director at GfK South Africa. “New norms are emerging as time becomes more fluid and the boundaries between work and leisure are blurred.”
Focus on self-improvement
The GfK research shows that some consumers in this demographic used the time of the Level 5 lockdown for self-improvement; 31 percent claimed that they used the time to learn a new skill and 41 percent increased the time spent reading books. This trend is especially evident among people who usually work full-time.
With
the closure of restaurants and takeaways, along with free disposable
time, South Africans put their culinary skills to the test. More than
three quarters (78%) cooked more homemade meals from scratch and 55
percent were consuming fresh vegetables, a habit that they would like to
continue post-lockdown. Consumers reported that recipes were their
second most searched for topic on YouTube. As part
of a move towards a healthier lifestyle, 40 percent agreed that they
have increased their level of physical activity.
Home
improvement was high on the lockdown to-do list. In the week before
lockdown when consumers knew that they would have free time for DIY
projects,
sales of emulsion and special paint climbed 16 and 10 percent
respectively. Consumers said that DIY content was the top topic they
searched for on YouTube during the Level 5 lockdown.
‘Alone together’
Although
the lockdown was designed to keep people socially distanced, consumers
found ways to connect deeply with loved ones within and outside
their homes. Around 65 percent were using video chat to reach family
members who don’t share their home and 52 percent increased the time
they spent looking after family members.
With
more free hours on their hands, 52 percent have increased their time on
leisure activities alone and with the family. Some 38 percent have
increased the time they spend playing games like boardgames, trivia,
crosswords, and colouring in, while 31 percent reported cooking more
with the children and 18 percent cooking more as a couple.
Most
also upped their media intake. Around 76 percent have increased their
viewing of films and TV series, while 38 percent increased the time
they spent on paid streaming services like Netflix. In the week before
the lockdown, videogame console sales increased 104 percent compared to
an average week; 44 percent of surveyed consumers reported that they
spent more time playing videogames during the
first phase of the lockdown.
Trend towards cocooning
“Our
research has found a trend towards cocooning in South Africa over the
past five years, with people staying home rather than heading for the
malls and nightclubs, partly because of growing personal safety
concerns,” says Thompson. “Consumers in this demographic were well
prepared for the lockdown because they have been moving towards
home-tainment for a number of years. This segment spent the lockdown
investing time into their homes and relationships—and discovering new
digital means of shopping, connection and entertainment.
“These
trends will remain entrenched, even when the worst of the pandemic is
over. To master the crisis, marketers should seek to understand the
new normal that has emerged for their customers and be ready to pivot
along with consumers on the other side of the pandemic,” Thompson
concludes.
Click
here to register for a webinar on this study taking place on Tuesday, 26 May at 11h00.
