No Covid re-run: Social, market researchers on consumer mood say 70% tightening belts; young men stressed, ‘third-life crisis’ at 30 – but 24% free-spending so category discounts not required
Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine, Southern Cross Austereo's Jasmine Beech, and veteran qualitative consumer researcher Neer Korn unpack what’s coming down the track – as far as anyone can tell.
Social market researchers think the deepening cost of living crisis will play out very differently to Covid. But there are parallels with previous bust cycles. The “lipstick effect” comes into play, and certain categories – homeware, necessities, some everyday luxury branded goods – should hold up. But home renovations could end up consisting of nicer taps than a whole bathroom suite.
While 70 per cent of Australians report making some cutbacks, a quarter of the population will keep spending – and brands shouldn’t think about discounting to that cohort. For the broader population, retailers must communicate price hikes honestly or lose community trust earned during Covid, fast.
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Margin of Error
The margin of error to be allowed for in any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. Margin of error gives indications of the likely range within which estimates would be 95% likely to fall, expressed as the number of percentage points above or below the actual estimate. Allowance for design effects (such as stratification and weighting) should be made as appropriate.
| Sample Size | Percentage Estimate |
| 40% – 60% | 25% or 75% | 10% or 90% | 5% or 95% | |
| 1,000 | ±3.0 | ±2.7 | ±1.9 | ±1.3 |
| 5,000 | ±1.4 | ±1.2 | ±0.8 | ±0.6 |
| 7,500 | ±1.1 | ±1.0 | ±0.7 | ±0.5 |
| 10,000 | ±1.0 | ±0.9 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 |
| 20,000 | ±0.7 | ±0.6 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 |
| 50,000 | ±0.4 | ±0.4 | ±0.3 | ±0.2 |
