"The three continuous years of data, from July 2020 to June 2023 with over 60 000 respondents, have provided invaluable insights into consumer media and product consumption and spending patterns," says the MRF's CEO Johann Koster.

According to the research, some interesting findings in the data include the continued upsurge in online activities and e-commerce. Social media and content streaming services continue to show strong growth; for example, TikTok has grown by 531% over the past three years, while print media is showing some stability following sharp declines during the pandemic.

Television has been severely affected by load shedding, and the government's digital migration programme saw an overall decline of 22%. However, the research shows that some TV channels bucked this trend and experienced growth during this challenging time. 

The three-year period under review presented extraordinary challenges for consumers ranging from the pandemic, economic and cost-of-living challenges to load shedding and water supply interruptions.

These challenges forced consumers to adapt and change their behaviour, and the MAPS data provides invaluable insights into these behavioural shifts.

While the average monthly spend on groceries and toiletries has remained fairly stable throughout this period, it should be seen in the context of rising inflation, which meant that the average grocery basket got smaller. The research adds that brand loyalty for groceries and toiletries has also declined while cosmetics saw the opposite trend. 

The webinar to be held at 11:00 on Thursday, 1 February will include:
  • MAPS demographics
  • the economic landscape that South Africa finds itself in
  • the current media landscape, and
  • consumer product consumption and spending patterns.

"MAPS™ provides vital marketing insights to help brands navigate the fast-changing marketing landscape. With extensive consumer data covering long-term trends, seasonal shifts and quarterly changes in shopper behaviour and spending patterns, MAPS empowers marketers with the consumer intelligence needed to succeed," says Koster.

"We are excited to present MAPS™ most current findings on South African consumers to the industry this week," Koster concludes.

For more information, visit www.mrfsa.org.za. You can also follow MRF on Facebook or on LinkedIn. 

*Image courtesy of contributor