Coronavirus Voice of the Consumer Part 2: What do consumers in the UK and Italy Feel?
Last month we conducted a study among US consumers, to capture the consumer voice around Coronavirus and the impact it was making on travel plans. A month later and the situation has clearly developed. So what do consumers feel now? And are consumers in other countries, such as the UK and Italy, responding differently or the same?
We activated 100 consumers in each of the countries and found:
- A growing level of distrust of the media and authority, and perceptions that the situation is being “hyped up”
- Many consumers, particularly in the UK, are maintaining an emotional distance from the virus – they have concern for others and for the impacts (e.g. financial), but personally feel “it won’t happen to them”.
- On the flip side, other consumers feel scared, insecure and helpless
- 4 weeks ago, US consumers associated Coronavirus with something “foreign” and with “China” but they now associate it with being “scary”, an “epidemic” and a cause of “death”.
- Nearly half of American travellers have already changed travel plans as a result (vs. 24% in the UK)
- Across markets, the biggest behaviour changes include more hand washing and sanitising, but social distancing has increased from 4 weeks ago. Many consumers feel that their current hygiene practices offer enough protection, but we’re seeing higher mentions as well of stockpiling food and supplies, and avoiding even close friends and family.
We’ll be tracking again next week to understand the perceptions, emotions and behaviours of consumers in all three countries as the situation continues to evolve. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the summary reports to date as well as for the next wave please get in touch by clicking here.
Further Info: Using the Consumer Activation System™, we activated n = 100 18+ Nationally Representative Consumers in each of US, UK and Italy to complete quantitative and qualitative activities overnight March 6-7.