Will Poles go on holiday this year?
Consumers predict that the coronavirus will have an impact on the situation in Europe for the next year. Poles have a similar opinion, but when it comes to the situation in the country, they are moderately optimistic and shorten this period to 6 months. But they are already shopping differently, taking care of themselves and their homes, spending their free time and revising their holiday plans. Nielsen examined in 18 markets which changes will stay with us for longer.
Nielsen has identified 6 stages of consumer behavior towards the pandemic. The last one – “new normal” – is the time when schools and workplaces will open, and consumers will return to their pre-pandemic lives, but many new elements will appear in it. Remote work and staying at home will become more common. Constant and smooth access to the internet will be key. In the case of the trade and distribution industry, the percentage of online grocery shopping will increase, so it will be important to provide an offer encouraging staying online. Consumers will expect products that will facilitate everyday functioning at home, including self-preparation of meals from ready-made ingredients and available recipes. There is already an increased interest in health-care products and antibacterial agents ensuring hygiene and cleanliness. We will appreciate local, both in the case of food and travel – says Beata Kaczorek, Director of Consumer Research at Nielsen Connect in Poland.
More than half, as many as 60% Poles, similarly to the French, Spanish and Portuguese, believe that the coronavirus will shape the reality in Europe in the next 4-12 months. However, when it comes to forecasts of the situation in the country, they are more optimistic and in 78% they predict that it will last up to 6 months. The less optimistic claim that it will last even longer. Among them are residents of Germany 31%, the Netherlands 26% and Great Britain 21%. The new situation has changed the way of shopping. Poles in 80%, Italians in 78% and the French in 71% admit that they have verified the necessity and frequency of their purchases and now buy less in stationary large-format stores.
The pandemic-forced stay-at-home order also affects the way we eat. For almost half of consumers in Greece, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands, eating meals at home was the norm, while the biggest change was for residents of Turkey, Italy, Portugal and Spain. At the same time, very few European consumers decided to order meals to their homes, more often they simply decided to cook themselves, in Poland this was confirmed by 54% people. Consumers say that eating and cooking at home could become their new habit and a key part of their lives in the coming months.
The current situation is changing not only shopping habits, but also the way Poles take care of hygiene and cleanliness at home. In this area, two statements appear: more often and more. Poles say: we take care of ourselves: we wash our hands more often 84%, we use antibacterial agents more often 55%, we wash our face and take a bath more often 43%. We take care of cleanliness: we wash and clean the house more often, because: we do laundry more often 43%, we wash at a higher temperature 32%, we use more detergents 21%. We take care of the house: we clean the house more often 50%, we clean the bathroom more often 39%, we use stronger detergents 21%.
Shopping and cleaning still leave time for entertainment, currently mainly online. Poles most often read on the internet 56%, watch movies on streaming platforms 54% and spend time on social networking sites 52%.
Nielsen also asked Poles about their holiday plans. 62% of them consider foreign leisure trips in the second half of 2020 unlikely. They expect to spend their free time in Poland or visit family and friends. Those who had already planned their trips most often intended to stay in Poland 39% or go to Greece 15%, Spain 10% and Germany or Italy 9% each. Every 10th Pole has already canceled their summer vacation, and almost 1/3 are still waiting for the situation to develop before making a final decision on whether to keep it or cancel it. 58% of Poles have not yet planned their vacation, but it will be difficult to convince them to use the services of travel agencies now.
The syndicated study “The impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior” was conducted by Nielsen in 18 European markets using the online panel method between 13 and 27 March 2020. More information at:
CONTACT:
Barbara Tokarz
Marketing & Communications Manager at Nielsen Poland
tel.: 885 580 551, e-mail: barbara.tokarz@nielsen.com