Video Research Ltd. Survey: "What 'Things' and 'Experiences' Consumers Are Purchasing During the COVID-19 Pandemic"

Video Research Ltd. announced the results of an internet survey (ACR/ex survey) conducted using dedicated response tablets on May 13, examining the situation of consumers amid the spread of the novel coronavirus.
April saw a state of emergency declaration and requests for people to refrain from going out, which had a significant impact on daily life. The survey introduces how social disruption and anxiety affected consumers, covering their attitudes and behaviors, as well as their engagement with media.
(Graphs/Tables provided by Video Research Ltd.)

*The following content primarily uses data from ages 12-69 (all 7 regions), with some data from ages 70-74 (2 regions). For detailed survey overview, refer to the report.

 

◇ Television remains the mainstay for information access regarding the novel coronavirus
　<Media Positioning and Attitudes Toward Media>

・Regarding media positioning, "TV" scored highest in "actively sought out," "easy to understand," and "trustworthy."

・Television also scored highest in information awareness, outperforming internet news by approximately 20 points in "obtaining the latest information (73%)", "gaining an overview (70%)", and "deepening understanding (61%)".

◇ "COVID-19 Pandemic" Anxiety is Personal; First Priority is "Avoiding Infection"
　＜Level of Anxiety, Concerns, Desired Information＞

・98% responded that they are "anxious." While "production systems for virus countermeasure products (64%)" is the highest anxiety, social disruption and lifestyle changes due to requests also exceed 50%, indicating a situation where multiple anxiety factors coexist.

・The most sought-after information is "production capacity for countermeasure products (60%)". Other top items also predominantly relate to infection. Furthermore, scores for those aged 70 and over exceed those aged 12-69 for the top items, indicating greater anxiety among seniors regarding infection.

◇ "Pandemic" leads to a "stationary" lifestyle
　<Lifestyle Changes & Increased Time Spent>

・Approximately 80% of consumers experienced changes due to the "COVID-19 pandemic," with about 50% reporting "significant changes."

・The highest media contact among "increased" activities is "watching live TV (71%)". The top items include many viewing behaviors using "TV" and "Internet".

◇ Cashless payments have surged during the pandemic, with 1 in 2 people experiencing bulk buying
　＜Changes in Shopping Behavior & Bulk-Purchased Items＞

・For usage where "increased" outnumbered "decreased," overall "cashless payments (32%)" saw the largest increase. Additionally, "online shopping malls (35%)" were more frequently used among those aged 12-69, while "drugstores (37%)" were more frequently used among those aged 70-74.

・For "decreased" usage, "department stores and supermarkets" and "large retailers/discount stores" stand out with over 50% reporting decreased use.
　Overall, the "decreased" scores were higher than the "increased" scores, suggesting a downward trend in consumption.

・About 50% have experience with bulk buying. "Prepared frozen foods/instant foods (26%)" ranked highest, with food and hygiene products dominating the top positions.

The company states: "Since the spread of COVID-19, it goes without saying that 'information' is the most necessary and important thing. Within this context, 'television' is the most used medium for gathering the latest information and ranks high in terms of increased viewing time, reaffirming its strong roots in our lives. Furthermore, the internet is seeing increased engagement following television, indicating it is becoming an important medium.
While the overall economy remains in a slowdown mode, certain things and activities are beginning to take root in daily life, such as increased internet shopping and cashless payments. In this era demanding shifts in thinking and ingenuity across many areas, we believe promoting more precise communication will serve as a driving force for consumers.
Our company will continue to conduct this survey regularly, striving to provide support for both the marketing industry and consumers.

Video Research Ltd.:
https://www.videor.co.jp/