Understanding a Divided Britain Market Report 2021

Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the UK Understanding a Divided Britain market, including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.

In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shock of the impact onpublic and private life had the effect of bringing people together. One of the most prominently seen is the success of the Clap for Heroes initiative. While divisions have arisen over the response of the coronavirus, the fact that the vast majority of people still support mask-wearing in outdoor settings indicates greater unity than is perhaps suggested in news and social media reports.

Just 14% of British consumers call themselves British, with people more likely to identify with the home nation they live in –  particularly in Scotland and Wales – or the city, town or village they live in. For consumer-facing businesses, this shows the benefits of a local approach to advertising and embedding their brands in local areas to build deeper customer relationships.

Arguably the biggest threat to social cohesion in today’s Britain is the rise of misinformation and distrust in mainstream news media. TV and newspapers remain the most trusted sources of information across politics, business, the economy, and health issues, but around a third of consumers say they do not trust any surveyed information source to inform them of these issues.

There are still many opportunities for businesses to capitalise on Brand Britain however. Three quarters of consumers are proud to call Britain their home and think British businesses should promote traditional British values. Brands will have to work to understand how is Britain divided, and the UK political divide.

Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Families market research.

Quickly understand

• The impact of COVID-19 on divisions in British society.
• The size and makeup of the British population, including different demographic groups.
• Individuals’ political orientations and preferred geographical identities.
• The impact of differences in political orientations and other divisions on personal values and what consumers believe Britain should be a global leader in.
• Consumers’ attitudes towards Britain, including whether they are proud to live in Britain, whether it is considered a tolerant country, and the strength of Brand Britain.
• The state of the national conversation and the sources of information Brits trust to keep them informed.
• How is Britain divided.
• UK political divide.

Expert analysis from a specialist in the field

This report, written by Rich Shepherd, a leading analyst in the Consumer sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.

Britain is home to a plethora of identities, social and political viewpoints and beliefs. Despite this, most people agree that it is a country they are proud to call home and that most Brits live according to a shared set of values. There are, however, disagreements over what Britain should stand for as a country, which adds complexity when building British brand identities and marketing strategies built around Brand Britain.
Rich Shepherd
Category Director – B2B, Social and Economic Research