Irish Lifestyles - Ireland - April 2008

ISSUES IN THE MARKET
Key themes in the report
Definitions
Abbreviations
INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
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
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
Trend: Agelessness
What's it about?
What we've seen
What next?
WHO IS THE MODERN IRISH CONSUMER?
Key points
Figure 1: Summary of key trends, 2008
 POPULATION GROWTH OUTPACES UK
Year-on-year growth for RoI population
Figure 2: Population, by gender (millions), RoI, 2002-07
Women account for largest percentage of NI’s population
Figure 3: Population, by gender (000s), NI, 2002-07
Over 7 million people in all Ireland by 2031
Figure 4: Population projections (million), NI and RoI, 2006-31
Differences in RoI population in 2007 compared to 2002
Figure 5: Population, by gender and age, RoI, 2007
RoI second-highest under-25 population
Figure 6: Percentage of the population under 25, by country, 2010 and 2015
Higher proportion of younger consumers in NI
NI’s ageing population
Figure 7: Population, by gender and age, NI, 2006
Ageing population
Births and deaths
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
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’?
Figure 10: Population aged 15+, by marital status, RoI, 2002 and 2006
Increased rate of marriages and divorces in NI
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
Figure 12: Impact of immigration, RoI, 2006-07
Expansion of EU in 2004 causes ripples for RoI population
Figure 13: Number of non-nationals living in RoI, 2002-07
Ireland: an attractive prospect?
Figure 14: Estimated immigrants coming to RoI, by origin, 2002-07
Polish consumers flock to RoI
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
Figure 16: Impact of immigration, NI, 2005-06
NI new political era encourages non-nationals to come north of the border
Figure 17: Estimated immigrants coming to NI, by origin, 2004-05 and 2005-06
Muslims are largest non-Christian religious group in RoI
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
Figure 19: Number of births within and outside marriage, RoI, 2001-06
Births outside marriage on the increase in NI
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
Figure 21: Households, by family type, RoI, 2002 and 2006
Higher percentages of married male gay couples as opposed to lesbian partnerships
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
Key points
Figure 23: Summary of key trends, 2008
What is the outlook for NI’s economy?
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
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
Figure 26: Breakdown of overall first-time buyer market in RoI, 2002-07
How do Irish consumers plan to cut back in 2008?
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
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
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
Figure 30: International wealth table, 2005/06
30,000 millionaires in Ireland
How are consumers investing their money?
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
Figure 32: Number of people employed and unemployed, by gender, NI, 2007
More men in employment in RoI compared to females
Figure 33: Number of people employed, by gender, RoI, 2001-07
NI males still earn more than females
Figure 34: Average annual wage, by gender, NI, 2006/07
Large percentage of NI population employed in service sector
Figure 35: Male and female full time employees, by industry sector, NI, 2007
RoI employment by occupation mirrors NI’s
Figure 36: People in employment, by occupation, by gender, RoI, 2007
Non-nationals contribute to RoI’s skilled labour market
Figure 37: Percentage of non-nationals in employment in RoI, by occupation, 2006
Higher proportion of NI male entrepreneurs
Figure 38: Number of people employed and type of employment, by gender, NI, 2007
NI females show higher preference to undertake part-time work
Figure 39: Full-time/part-time split of employees, by gender, NI, 2007
The gender gap widens at A-level/upper secondary stage
Figure 40: Qualifications on leaving school, by gender, NI, 2005/06
Boys leave education earlier
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
Figure 42: Highest level of education completed, by gender, RoI, 2007
Gender bias remains
FUNDING MODERN IRISH LIFESTYLES
Key points
Figure 43: Summary of key trends, 2008
Irish consumers more knowledgeable about their financial situation
Greater sense of financial awareness
Figure 44: Percentage of adults who state ‘I am more aware of personal finance than I used to be’, NI and RoI, 2002-07
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
Figure 46: Reasons for visiting a bank branch, NI and RoI, 2007
Online banking
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
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
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
Figure 50: Percentage of credit facilities used in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, 2007
Personal loans
Figure 51: Purchases made by credit, NI and RoI, 2007
Credit unions
Figure 52: Credit union usage, NI, 2002-07
Figure 53: Credit union usage, RoI, 2002-07
Attitudes towards cards
NI and RoI differ slightly in their opinions of credit cards
Card ownership
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
Key points
Ethical issues in the Irish market
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
Figure 56: Most popular types of charity Irish consumers contributed to, NI and RoI, 2007
Defining the ethical consumer
The ethical modern Irish consumer
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
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
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
Figure 60: Motivation to donate to charity, NI and RoI, 2007
Are RoI consumers more ethical than NI?
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
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?
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?
Key points
Figure 64: Summary of key trends, 2008
Positive lifestyle trends
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
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
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?
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?
Figure 69: Alcohol consumption in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, 2001-07
Alcohol not essential to leisure
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?
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
Figure 73: Types of drugs consumers have used in their lifetime, NI and RoI, 2006/07
ROLE OF LEISURE IN MODERN LIFESTYLES
Key points
Health and leisure pursuits are key personal aspirations for 2008
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
Figure 75: Participation in leisure activities, NI and RoI, June 2007
Shopping for pleasure
Relaxing activities important
Figure 76: Selected day out attitudinal statements, NI and RoI, June 2007
Entertaining Irish consumers at night
Figure 77: Participation in night out activities, NI and RoI, March 2007
RoI consumers flock to the pub
Figure 78: Go to pub, day and night, NI and RoI, March 2007
Dining out – a popular leisure activity
Figure 79: Go to a restaurant, day and night, NI and RoI, March 2007
Are consumers cutting back on leisure spend?
Figure 80: Consumer attitudes towards nights out and days out, NI and RoI, March 2007
Is cinema losing its appeal?
Figure 81: Cinema-goers, NI and RoI, 2004 and 2007
ARE MODERN IRISH CONSUMERS EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY?
Key points
Figure 82: Summary of key trends, 2008
Are consumers choosing media to suit their lifestyle?
Irish consumers are frequent everyday users of the Net
Figure 83: Internet usage, NI and RoI, 2001-07
Irish consumers want quick access to the Web
Figure 84: Broadband connection, RoI and NI, 2004 and 2007
Reluctance to use the online medium outside the home or work environment
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
Figure 86: Most popular website properties in RoI, September 2007
Irish consumers are still not embracing online shopping to its full extent
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
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
Figure 89: Selected consumer lifestyle statements regarding other forms of media, NI and RoI, 2007
Online shopping habits
The increasingly tech-savvy Irish consumer
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
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
Figure 92: Consumer lifestyle statements regarding print media, agreement with statement, NI and RoI, 2007
Positive attitudes towards TV innovations
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
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
Key points
Creating consumer groups
NI consumer groups
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
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
Definition of non-nationals (Multicultural Ireland: The Ethnic Impact – Ireland, January 2008)
Methodology of focus groups
Lifestage explanation
Definition of country
Figure 97: Definition of EU 15 and EU 12 member states
Who is the Modern Irish Consumer?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Figure 118: Visiting the cinema, NI and RoI, 2004 and 2007
Health and wellbeing
Figure 119: Indexed participation in sport vs index spending on sports goods and equipment, NI and RoI, 2003-08
Leisure
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
Figure 123: Consumers paying for their own car insurance, NI and RoI, 2002 and 2007
Figure 124: Health insurance statements, NI and RoI, 2007
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
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
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
Figure 130: Attitudes towards finance, NI, 2002-07
Figure 131: Attitudes towards finance, RoI, 2002-07
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
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
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