CONSUMER PULSE

The national mood has declined this month; Australia's cost of living; and grocery shopping habits, trust in grocery brands and consumer values is fuelling opinions and conversations.

Find out what’s hot and what’s not in this issue of Nine’s Consumer Pulse.

Consumer Pulse surveys over 2,000 national respondents spanning Nine’s TV, digital, print and talk radio audiences. The monthly survey canvasses the thoughts, purchasing intentions and mood of the nation, to better inform and educate marketers on how they can reach and engage Australian audiences.

Inside this month's Consumer Pulse dip: 1-4 December, 2023

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Mood of the Nation

Senior adult female worried while looking at receipt from grocery store. Rise in price of products concept. Buying consumer goods during inflation. Facing economic downturn. Kitchen unit and paper bag on background, horizontal. closeup

Cost of Living

A young group of friends meeting together at a barbecue are chatting and smiling as they greet each other.

Conversation Starters

Mood of the Nation

The national mood has declined this month with a rise in negative emotions despite positive emotions holding stable. The rise in negative emotion comes with increased feelings of being overwhelmed as well as feelings of stress and anxiety being in the top six emotions this month.

This month has also seen significant drops for feelings of safety, optimism, relaxation and connection.

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Dominant mood indicators

The top ten dominant moods are a mix of both positive and negative emotions. Despite the higher net negative emotions, the top two are positive with feelings of relaxation and calm topping the list this month. Feelings of being stressed, anxious and frustrated rose to be the 3^rd, 6^th and 7^th most prominent emotions this month.

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Cost of living: More Australians are feeling the pinch

Less than half of Nine’s audiences are feeling financially comfortable at the moment. This comes at the same time as 22% of Australians are “feeling the pressure” when it comes to their personal finances.

Most are currently affected by the rising cost of groceries (81%) and utilities (72%), while rising petrol prices (61%) and insurance premiums (61%) continue to affect Australians.

Conversation Starters

There is a real opportunity for brands to tap into some of the themes fuelling opinions and conversations this month.

The morning is when most Australians will do their grocery shopping

One in two of Nine’s audience do grocery shopping between 9am-12pm, a time proving especially popular among females.

Many people under the age of 55 may also look to the off-peak times of the late afternoon/night time, however people over 55 are not likely to consider this time of day.

When looking by day of the week, shopping time of day habits stay consistent outside of Sunday where it becomes more common for shoppers to do their grocery shopping after 3pm.

A mature man in his 40s with down syndrome working in a supermarket. He is wearing an apron, standing in the produce section of the store, looking toward the camera with his hands on his hips.

Brand consideration

As many people look to the off-peak times to do their grocery shopping, your brand could consider a quiet hour, which promotes a low-sensory shopping experience. This will increase the inclusivity of your brand, and reveal a new target audience.

People under the age of 45 show greater trust in grocery brands

Nine’s audience under the age of 45 shows higher levels of trust in the major supermarket retailers.

This is especially true with Woolworths and ALDI where over 10% more of under-45 shoppers trust these brands compared to the over-65 age group.

Brand consideration

Your brand should consider a rewards program, specifically tailored to people under the age of 45. This will build deeper trust, and therefore help to create long-term customer relationships.

Young woman with eyeglasses standing with reusable bag on parking lot after groceries shopping

Consumers value quality over price when shopping for grocery items

54% of Nine’s audience agree that quality is more important than price when it comes to grocery items, with only 13% disagreeing with this statement.

This feeling is especially strong among Nine’s audience over the age of 55, with only one in 10 disagreeing with this statement and 62% agreeing that they value quality over price.

Young Asian woman choosing fresh organic fruits in market stall joyfully.

Brand consideration

As 54% of Nine's audience value quality over price, your brand should focus on premium brand positing. Focus on marketing your brand as high quality and emphasize this throughout your messaging. This will speak to your target audience and help you stand out in the market.