Consumer insights:
FANFINDERS
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legacy
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The lockdown
While redecorating, new furniture and DIY projects have been rife throughout lockdown, what is interesting is that many parents anticipate investing more money in this area over the next 12 months.
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In the last issue, FanFinders explored how parents’ shopping habits have changed a year into the pandemic. This month, they’re investigating how lifestyle attitudes have shifted.
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ave you taken up DIY during lockdown? Or some other new hobby, or a new form of exercise? Have you realised you don’t need to travel or miss it more than ever? The pandemic has forced all of us to reflect on our lifestyles and consider what we value most. Some changes have also been driven by circumstance. People may now need to be more savvy with their finances, have signed up to a new subscription service or become more comfortable with online deliveries. To find out what behaviours and attitudes UK parents have picked up during the pandemic and how that may impact their spending over the coming months, we surveyed over 4,500 members in the Your Baby Club network.
Changing picture of ‘home’ Our homes have evolved into our offices, gyms and even cinemas during lockdown, and clear trends have emerged as a result. One is that parents are willing to invest in improving their spaces – perhaps a natural outcome of spending a lot more time in them. While redecorating, new furniture and DIY projects have been rife throughout lockdown, what is interesting is that many parents anticipate investing more money in this area over the next 12 months. 60% of parents expect to spend more in the home and garden category, which as an increase, sits only behind baby products, toys and food shopping in anticipated spend for the year. Further changes can be seen in how
parents are using their homes and interacting with family. 46% said they are now playing more traditional games as a family and 77% are cooking more homemade meals as a family than before the pandemic. As for keeping fit, 44% said they intend to continue with home workouts over the next year.
Evolving consumer attitudes Buying products that have less impact on the environment is becoming an important lifestyle choice for many parents, while the pandemic has also brought sustainability to the fore. 68% of parents said they plan on buying more from eco-friendly or sustainable brands in the coming months. Another key shift is in consumer attitudes to subscriptions, regular online services and monthly product deliveries. These have become the norm for many during the pandemic and businesses have responded, realising their longer-term benefits. Over the past year, 27% of parents signed up to a monthly product delivery and/or online services for the family. Beyond this, 66% said they will be signing up to at least one product and grocery delivery, online service, or discount and loyalty club, over the next year. SUB HEAD: Impact on finances The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have changed the financial landscape for many families, which means cutting back on spending in certain areas and taking a greater interest in forms of insurance. For context, 69% of parents rated their
financial situation as ‘excellent or good’ pre-pandemic, but now, 36% say they are earning less than before it started and 11% say they or their partner have lost their jobs. This has created some caution. 51% said they have to be careful with how they spend over the next year and 81% intend to cut down on luxury purchases. Parents are also thinking more about security in case of future tumultuous periods. 63% will be setting up or contributing to a savings account over the next year, while 40% said they are now more interested in life insurance and other forms of financial protection.
Beyond the pandemic For parents who have been living online over the past year – 72% said they have been spending more time on social media than they did a few months ago – the activities they are looking forward to doing
after the pandemic are those which offer a social element. Beauty therapy is high on the list, with 43% saying they want to visit the barber/ salon/nail bar. Then it’s heading straight for their favourite restaurant, with over 50% wanting to eat out regularly. For 49%, online shopping just isn’t quite the same as trying on and buying new outfits with a friend, and they can’t wait to shop in person. However, one activity clearly leads the way, which is taking a family holiday (65%). Pandemic restrictions and cancellations have not diminished appetite for postpandemic trips, with 51% of parents wanting to take a family holiday as soon as restrictions allow. So, where are families heading? The answer is to beaches and all-inclusive resorts, but not too far from home. 60% of parents said they are most likely to travel in the UK, with 27% considering Europe.
FanFinders is a performance marketing and consumer insight company that connects brands with parents who want what they have to offer via Your Baby Club. The ‘21 Insights’ report will be available soon to download at fanfinders.com/insights.
For more information on FanFinders and the consumer insight they can offer, call: 0203 808 3011 or visit www.fanfinders.com nursery today
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