Table of Contents
Issues in the Market
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- Key themes in the report
- Definitions
- Abbreviations
Insights and Opportunities
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- Unique workforce population
- Health concerns
- Older population
- The immigration impact
- Save save save
- Impact of job losses?
- Funding the modern Irish consumer
- 21st Century cinema
- Online opportunities
- Quality counts
Irish Lifestyles in Brief
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- Changing face of Irish society
- Continued financial headaches for Irish consumers
- Equality...what equality?
- The credit crunch brings a new era for change
- The media-savvy Irish consumer
- Taking responsibility of own financial situation
- Irish consumers jump on health bandwagon
- Are consumers drinking less?
- Going wild?
- Sit back and relax proves most popular pastime for Irish consumers
Fast Forward Trends
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- Trend: Agelessness
- What's it about?
- What we've seen
- What next?
Who is the Modern Irish Consumer?
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- Key points
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- Figure 1: Summary of key trends, 2008
- Population growth outpaces UK
- Year-on-year growth for RoI population
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- Figure 2: Population, by gender (millions), RoI, 2002-07
- Women account for largest percentage of NI’s population
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- Figure 3: Population, by gender (000s), NI, 2002-07
- Over 7 million people in all Ireland by 2031
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- Figure 4: Population projections (million), NI and RoI, 2006-31
- Differences in RoI population in 2007 compared to 2002
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- Figure 5: Population, by gender and age, RoI, 2007
- RoI second-highest under-25 population
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- Figure 6: Percentage of the population under 25, by country, 2010 and 2015
- Higher proportion of younger consumers in NI
- NI’s ageing population
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- Figure 7: Population, by gender and age, NI, 2006
- Ageing population
- Births and deaths
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- Figure 8: Number of births and deaths, RoI and NI, 2001-06
- RoI in midst of another Baby Boom generation
- More men than women dying in RoI
- Cancer on the increase in RoI
- Suicidal trends
- NI consumers are living longer
- Cancer is biggest killer in NI
- Changing family structure
- Higher proportion of births to first-time mums
- Marriages continue to grow in RoI
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- Figure 9: Number of marriages, RoI, 2001-06
- Spiraling costs for an RoI wedding
- Wedding cost encourages more NI couples to go abroad
- ‘I do, as long as we both shall live’?
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- Figure 10: Population aged 15+, by marital status, RoI, 2002 and 2006
- Increased rate of marriages and divorces in NI
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- Figure 11: Number of marriages and divorces, NI, 2001-06
- 13% increase in the number of marriages in NI over a five-year period
- Changing times
- Highest annual number of divorces recorded in 2006 for NI
- Marry in haste, repent at leisure
- Marriage is best type of relationship for NI consumers
- Are Irish consumers becoming more tolerant?
- Continuing high immigration drives population increase in RoI
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- Figure 12: Impact of immigration, RoI, 2006-07
- Expansion of EU in 2004 causes ripples for RoI population
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- Figure 13: Number of non-nationals living in RoI, 2002-07
- Ireland: an attractive prospect?
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- Figure 14: Estimated immigrants coming to RoI, by origin, 2002-07
- Polish consumers flock to RoI
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- Figure 15: Number of people coming to live in RoI, by country of last residence, 2006
- Influx of non-national males in RoI
- Immigration accounts more to NI population than natural increases
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- Figure 16: Impact of immigration, NI, 2005-06
- NI new political era encourages non-nationals to come north of the border
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- Figure 17: Estimated immigrants coming to NI, by origin, 2004-05 and 2005-06
- Muslims are largest non-Christian religious group in RoI
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- Figure 18: Population, by religion, RoI, 2002 and 2006
- Decline in religious faith
- Immigrants’ religion impacts NI’s political landscape
- Growth of number of cohabiting couples in RoI
- Births outside marriage are on the rise in RoI
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- Figure 19: Number of births within and outside marriage, RoI, 2001-06
- Births outside marriage on the increase in NI
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- Figure 20: Births within and outside marriage, NI, 2001-06
- End of an era?
- Family vs career
- Couples with children accounted for largest proportion of NI households
- Couples without children is fastest-growing household type in RoI
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- Figure 21: Households, by family type, RoI, 2002 and 2006
- Higher percentages of married male gay couples as opposed to lesbian partnerships
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- Figure 22: Civil partnerships, numbers, mean age and percentage, by age at civil partnership, NI, 2005 and 2006
- Love thy neighbour?
Cost of Living in Modern Ireland
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- Key points
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- Figure 23: Summary of key trends, 2008
- What is the outlook for NI’s economy?
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- Figure 24: Health of economy, RoI and NI, 2006-08
- House builders in NI face massive uncertainty
- On the upside?
- What is the outlook for RoI’s economy?
- High inflation rates for RoI
- Inflation in the UK exceeds the Bank of England’s target of 2%
- First-time buyers make up to 32% of NI’s housing market
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- Figure 25: Facts in relation to first-time homeowners in NI, 2005 and 2006
- One in five first-time buyers currently non-Irish in RoI
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- Figure 26: Breakdown of overall first-time buyer market in RoI, 2002-07
- How do Irish consumers plan to cut back in 2008?
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- Figure 27: Consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, NI and RoI*, January 2008
- Common ways to cut back
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- Figure 28: Top consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, by age, RoI, January 2008.
- Equality in living standards
- Rising utility bills bring poverty line closer
- Fuel poverty causes 4-6% of NI deaths
- Measuring poverty in NI
- Living in poverty in NI
- Fewer RoI consumers living in poverty in 2006
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- Figure 29: Average household income and percentage of RoI’s population living in poverty, 2005 and 2006
- A growing rich-poor divide?
- The wealth of the Irish
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- Figure 30: International wealth table, 2005/06
- 30,000 millionaires in Ireland
- How are consumers investing their money?
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- Figure 31: Current and forecast estimated of how Irish consumers invested their money, 2005 and 2015
- Creating a wider chasm
- Employment and education
- More NI males going out to work compared to females
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- Figure 32: Number of people employed and unemployed, by gender, NI, 2007
- More men in employment in RoI compared to females
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- Figure 33: Number of people employed, by gender, RoI, 2001-07
- NI males still earn more than females
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- Figure 34: Average annual wage, by gender, NI, 2006/07
- Large percentage of NI population employed in service sector
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- Figure 35: Male and female full time employees, by industry sector, NI, 2007
- RoI employment by occupation mirrors NI’s
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- Figure 36: People in employment, by occupation, by gender, RoI, 2007
- Non-nationals contribute to RoI’s skilled labour market
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- Figure 37: Percentage of non-nationals in employment in RoI, by occupation, 2006
- Higher proportion of NI male entrepreneurs
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- Figure 38: Number of people employed and type of employment, by gender, NI, 2007
- NI females show higher preference to undertake part-time work
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- Figure 39: Full-time/part-time split of employees, by gender, NI, 2007
- The gender gap widens at A-level/upper secondary stage
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- Figure 40: Qualifications on leaving school, by gender, NI, 2005/06
- Boys leave education earlier
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- Figure 41: Participation in universities and Further Education colleges, by gender, NI, 2005/06
- Women in RoI gain higher levels of education compared to males
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- Figure 42: Highest level of education completed, by gender, RoI, 2007
- Gender bias remains
Funding Modern Irish Lifestyles
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- Key points
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- Figure 43: Summary of key trends, 2008
- Irish consumers more knowledgeable about their financial situation
- Greater sense of financial awareness
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- Figure 44: Percentage of adults who state ‘I am more aware of personal finance than I used to be’, NI and RoI, 2002-07
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- Figure 45: Attitudes towards personal finance, NI and RoI, November 2007
- Frustration felt by young people
- Greater demand for flexibility and convenience
- Attitudes towards current service providers
- Reluctance to ask for financial advice
- Accessing banking services
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- Figure 46: Reasons for visiting a bank branch, NI and RoI, 2007
- Online banking
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- Figure 47: Methods of accessing banking facilities, NI and RoI, 2007
- Flexible options for planning for the future
- Changing opinions on future financial plans
- Are Irish consumers becoming more debt-averse?
- Attitudes towards saving, debt and borrowing credit
- Differences between NI and RoI regarding spending and saving
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- Figure 48: Percentage of adults who state ‘If there’s something I want, I save up for it’, NI and RoI, 2002-07
- Attitudes towards debt in NI and RoI
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- Figure 49: Percentage of adults who state ‘I don’t like the idea of being in debt’, NI and RoI, 2002-07
- Usage of various credit options
- Types of credit facilities
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- Figure 50: Percentage of credit facilities used in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, 2007
- Personal loans
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- Figure 51: Purchases made by credit, NI and RoI, 2007
- Credit unions
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- Figure 52: Credit union usage, NI, 2002-07
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- Figure 53: Credit union usage, RoI, 2002-07
- Attitudes towards cards
- NI and RoI differ slightly in their opinions of credit cards
- Card ownership
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- Figure 54: Percentage of credit card/charge card ownership, NI and RoI, 2002-07
- Debit cards
- Card purchases
Modern Attitudes towards Ethics and the Environment
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- Key points
- Ethical issues in the Irish market
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- Figure 55: Summary of key trends, 2008
- Food and drink
- Food origins and content play important role in purchasing decisions
- Irish consumers are deeming healthy products as ethical alternatives
- The Irish clothing market?
- Leading the way forward for ethical clothing
- Donating to cancer research proves most worthwhile cause for Irish consumers
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- Figure 56: Most popular types of charity Irish consumers contributed to, NI and RoI, 2007
- Defining the ethical consumer
- The ethical modern Irish consumer
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- Figure 57: Important aspects when grocery shopping for food and/or drink, NI and RoI, November 2007
- Key differences between NI and RoI consumers’ recycling policy
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- Figure 58: ‘The need to recycle’ – an important aspect when shopping for food and/or drink, by age, NI and RoI, November 2007
- More charitable side to NI’s consumers
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- Figure 59: Percentage of Irish consumers that donated £5+/€7.50+ to charity in last 12 months, by age, NI and RoI, 2007
- Irish consumers are more reluctant to say no to hands-on charity fundraising
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- Figure 60: Motivation to donate to charity, NI and RoI, 2007
- Are RoI consumers more ethical than NI?
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- Figure 61: Relevant statements regarding the environment and food and drink, NI and RoI, November 2007
- The local vs fair trade dilemma
- Fair trade products more sought after by RoI consumers
- Risk to fair trade market as demand increases for local food
- Farmers’ markets are proving a popular trip out for Irish consumers
- Is price playing a key role in ethical market?
- Will Irish consumers opt out of the more expensive ethical clothing lines?
- Price premiums are a concern for organic market
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- Figure 62: Agreement with statements ‘It is worth paying more for organic food’ and ‘I look for the lowest possible price when shopping’, NI and RoI, 2001-07
- Are consumer ethics being pushed to one side in favour of lower prices?
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- Figure 63: Consumers who only buy products from companies whose ethics they agree with, NI and RoI, 2004-07
Is Health and Wellbeing a Priority?
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- Key points
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- Figure 64: Summary of key trends, 2008
- Positive lifestyle trends
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- Figure 65: Attitudes towards food/shopping for food and eating, NI and RoI, 2002 and 2007
- Making time for health?
- More family meals (not necessarily at weekends)
- More home cooking
- Less brand-loyal
- Evidence of less healthy attitudes in NI
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- Figure 66: Attitudes towards diet/lifestyle, NI and RoI, 2002 and 2007
- Good intentions
- Costs of eating healthy
- More takeaway meals for NI consumers
- Plus vs minus – a healthier relationship with food
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- Figure 67: Attitudes towards diet/lifestyle, NI and RoI, 2002 and 2007
- Who cares about calories?
- Natural gets the thumbs up from Irish consumers
- RoI consumers choose healthy option while dining out
- Spoiling ourselves on more occasions
- Are Irish consumers exercising more?
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- Figure 68: Agreement with the statement ‘I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week’, NI and RoI, 2001-07
- Football participation increases
- Solitary sports
- Are Irish consumers drinking more?
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- Figure 69: Alcohol consumption in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, 2001-07
- Alcohol not essential to leisure
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- Figure 70: Out-of-home spending vs on-trade spending, all Ireland, 2001-07
- Figure 71: Consumer attitudes towards nights out, NI and RoI, March 2007
- Staying in is the new going out
- The aftermath of binge drinking
- Who are Ireland’s binge drinkers?
- Are Irish consumers feeling the benefits of a smoke-free nation?
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- Figure 72: Agreement with statement ‘Banning smoking in public places was a good idea’, NI and RoI, 2007
- RoI leads the way for a smoke-free nation
- Tax has an impact on consumption
- Drugs becoming more integrated into Irish society
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- Figure 73: Types of drugs consumers have used in their lifetime, NI and RoI, 2006/07
Role of Leisure in Modern Lifestyles
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- Key points
- Health and leisure pursuits are key personal aspirations for 2008
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- Figure 74: Consumer responses to statement ‘Thinking now about your personal hopes and aspirations, which of these are priorities for you in the coming year?’, RoI and NI*, January 2008
- Consumer hopes and aspirations differ with age
- Entertaining Irish consumers during the day
- Daytime leisure activities
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- Figure 75: Participation in leisure activities, NI and RoI, June 2007
- Shopping for pleasure
- Relaxing activities important
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- Figure 76: Selected day out attitudinal statements, NI and RoI, June 2007
- Entertaining Irish consumers at night
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- Figure 77: Participation in night out activities, NI and RoI, March 2007
- RoI consumers flock to the pub
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- Figure 78: Go to pub, day and night, NI and RoI, March 2007
- Dining out – a popular leisure activity
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- Figure 79: Go to a restaurant, day and night, NI and RoI, March 2007
- Are consumers cutting back on leisure spend?
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- Figure 80: Consumer attitudes towards nights out and days out, NI and RoI, March 2007
- Is cinema losing its appeal?
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- Figure 81: Cinema-goers, NI and RoI, 2004 and 2007
Are Modern Irish Consumers Embracing Technology?
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- Key points
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- Figure 82: Summary of key trends, 2008
- Are consumers choosing media to suit their lifestyle?
- Irish consumers are frequent everyday users of the Net
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- Figure 83: Internet usage, NI and RoI, 2001-07
- Irish consumers want quick access to the Web
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- Figure 84: Broadband connection, RoI and NI, 2004 and 2007
- Reluctance to use the online medium outside the home or work environment
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- Figure 85: Internet access, RoI and NI, 2007
- Social networking websites encourage more Irish consumers to go online
- The age of the silver surfer
- Google domination
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- Figure 86: Most popular website properties in RoI, September 2007
- Irish consumers are still not embracing online shopping to its full extent
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- Figure 87: Purchases via the Internet in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, June 2007
- Television viewing remains popular pastime
- Multiple ownership of mobile phones
- Analysing mobile phone usage will assist future marketeers
- Direct response inspires a reaction
- Are newspapers losing their appeal?
- Magazine readership on the up
- Access to the masses
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- Figure 88: Advertising spend in RoI, 2005/06
- Outdoor media make way for new opportunities
- Are we embracing technology?
- Meeting the modern Irish consumer’s expectations
- Growth of e-commerce
- Irish consumers worry over the quality of items bought on the Web
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- Figure 89: Selected consumer lifestyle statements regarding other forms of media, NI and RoI, 2007
- Online shopping habits
- The increasingly tech-savvy Irish consumer
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- Figure 90: Percentage of consumers that agreed with statement ‘I try to keep up with developments in technology’, RoI and NI, 2002 and 2007
- Irish consumers show loyalty to their chosen newspaper
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- Figure 91: Consumer lifestyle statements regarding print media, agreement with statement, NI and RoI, 2007
- Over half of Irish consumers flick through free newspapers in their homes
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- Figure 92: Consumer lifestyle statements regarding print media, agreement with statement, NI and RoI, 2007
- Positive attitudes towards TV innovations
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- Figure 93: Selected consumer lifestyle statements regarding television, agreement with statement, NI and RoI, 2007
- RoI’s consumers enjoy listening to the radio for companionship
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- Figure 94: Consumer lifestyle statements regarding the radio, agreement with statement, NI and RoI, 2007
- Responding to the needs of the new Irish
- Increasing appeal of targeting the ‘new Irish’
- The price-sensitive non-national
- Local radio stations reach out to new Irish market
- Popularity of tabloid newspapers by non-nationals
Consumer Hopes and Aspirations for 2008
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- Key points
- Creating consumer groups
- NI consumer groups
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- Figure 95: NI target groups according to personal aspirations, January 2008
- Home-Birds (49% of respondents)
- Personal aspirations
- Who are they?
- How will they cut back in 2008?
- Understanding Home-Birds
- Globetrotters (30% of respondents)
- Personal aspirations
- Who are they?
- How will they cut back?
- Understanding Globetrotters
- Self-Improvers (21% of respondents)
- Personal aspirations
- Who are they?
- How will they cut back?
- Understanding Self-Improvers
- RoI consumer target groups
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- Figure 96: RoI target groups according to personal aspirations, January 2008
- Optimists (36% of respondents)
- Personal aspirations
- Who are they?
- How will they cut back?
- Understanding Optimists
- Health Enthusiasts (35% of respondents)
- Personal aspirations
- Who are they?
- How will they cut back?
- Understanding Health Enthusiasts
- Easy Goers (28% of respondents)
- Personal aspirations
- Who are they?
- How will they cut back?
- Understanding Easy Goers
Appendix
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- Definition of non-nationals (Multicultural Ireland: The Ethnic Impact – Ireland, January 2008)
- Methodology of focus groups
- Lifestage explanation
- Definition of country
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- Figure 97: Definition of EU 15 and EU 12 member states
- Who is the Modern Irish Consumer?
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- Figure 98: Population forecast, RoI, 2002-31
- Figure 99: Population forecast, by gender and age, RoI, 2002 and2007
- Figure 100: Population forecast, by gender and age, NI, 2002-31
- RoI males accounted for higher proportion of the under-25s in 2002
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- Figure 101: Population, by gender and age, RoI, 2002
- Figure 102: Population, by gender and age, NI, 2001
- Figure 103: Estimated immigration coming to RoI, by gender and origin, 2002-07
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- Figure 104: Religion in RoI, by country of origin, 2006
- Figure 105: Number of marriages and average age at marriage, RoI, 2001-06
- Figure 106: Family units, by number of children, RoI, 2002 and 2006
- Figure 107: Household type, NI and UK, 2007
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- Figure 108: Population, by religion, NI, 2001
- Figure 109: Divorces, by gender and age at divorce, NI, 2006
- Figure 110: Marriages, percentages, by method of celebration, NI, 2001 and 2006
- Figure 111: Age of males and females when undertaking a civil partnership, NI, 2006
- Cost of living in modern Ireland
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- Figure 112: Economic activity and forecast outlook, RoI, 2005-09
- Figure 113: Percentage weekly spend on various goods and services, NI, 2007
- Figure 114: Consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, by age, RoI, January 2008
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- Figure 115: Consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, by age, NI, January 2008
- RoI men work longer hours than female counterparts
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- Figure 116: Employment and usual hours worked in RoI, by marital status, by gender, 2007
- Figure 117: Estimated weekly wage of males and females, NI, 2006
- Media consumption
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- Figure 118: Visiting the cinema, NI and RoI, 2004 and 2007
- Health and wellbeing
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- Figure 119: Indexed participation in sport vs index spending on sports goods and equipment, NI and RoI, 2003-08
- Leisure
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- Figure 120: Consumer responses to statement ‘Thinking now about your personal hopes and aspirations, which of these are priorites for you in the coming year?’, by age, NI, January 2008
- Figure 121: Consumer responses to statement ‘Thinking now about your personal hopes and aspirations, which of these are priorities for you in the coming year?’, by age, RoI, January 2008
- Figure 122: Consumer responses to statement ‘Thinking now about your personal hopes and aspirations, which of these are priorities for you in the coming year?’, by age, RoI*, January 2008
- Funding modern lifestyles
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- Figure 123: Consumers paying for their own car insurance, NI and RoI, 2002 and 2007
- Figure 124: Health insurance statements, NI and RoI, 2007
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- Figure 125: Percentage of people who own a mortgage in their own name or jointly with spouse, RoI, 2002-07
- Cutting back on personal spending
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- Figure 126: Consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, by gender, age, presence of children, socio-economic group, region and area, RoI, January 2008
- Figure 127: Consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, by gender, age, marital status, presence of children, tenure, working status, socio-economic group, region and area, RoI, January 2008.
- Cutting back on personal spending
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- Figure 128: Consumer responses to statement ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, by gender, age, marital status, presence of children, tenure, working status, socio-economic group, region and area, NI, January 2008
- Figure 129: Consumer responses to statement, ‘When feeling the pinch, which of these are you most likely to do when trying to cut back your personal spending?’, by demographic split, NI, January 2008
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- Figure 130: Attitudes towards finance, NI, 2002-07
- Figure 131: Attitudes towards finance, RoI, 2002-07
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- Figure 132: Attitudes towards finance, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status, household size, lifestage and marital status, NI, 2007
- Figure 133: Attitudes towards finance, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status, household size, lifestage and marital status, NI, 2007
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- Figure 134: Attitudes towards finance, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status, household size, lifestage and marital status, NI, 2007
- Figure 135: Attitudes towards finance, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status, household size, lifestage and marital status, RoI, 2007
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- Figure 136: Attitudes towards finance, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status, household size, lifestage and marital status, RoI, 2007
- Figure 137: Attitudes towards finance, by gender, age, socio-economic group, working status, household size, lifestage and marital status, RoI, 2007
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