Vividata, one of Canada’s most important media and consumer research firm, recently published one of its latest poll’s results.
In field from July 2019 to June 2020, Vividata’s Survey of the Canadian Consumer (SCC) is the most comprehensive single source cross-media, product, attitudinal and brand research study in Canada.
« 2020 has been a year like no other and the impact of the pandemic is being felt by many of our members”, says Pat Pellegrini, Ph.D, President and CEO of Vividata. Our team has continued to work on numerous initiatives including free Covid-19 interim releases, research reports and infographics as added value at a time when understanding consumers is more important than ever. »
This Fall 2020 study included four months that have been hit by Covid-19, and questions relating to a number of evolving consumer trends such as: Canadians’ media consumption and purchasing in this period.
A sample of highlights from the Vividata Fall 2020 Study include:
Food and diet
- 7 million Canadian adults have used a meal kit delivery service, with Good Food as the most popular among users. Users of meal kit services identify to “save time” as their primary reason for using such services, followed by to “add variety to meal planning”.
- 1 in 5 adults used a food delivery service in the past month, spending an average of $32 per order. Skip the Dishes is the most used food delivery service among Canadians, followed by UberEATS.
- Nearly 1 in 5 adults agree with the statement, “I am trying to reduce or eliminate the amount of animal meat/or cow’s milk/dairy consumption in my diet”; while 1 out of 10 adults used packaged vegan/plant-based products in the past 12 months.
Online Shopping :
- 50% of Canadian adults report an increase in their online shopping in comparison to their usual shopping habits pre-pandemic. Households with children are the most likely to have experienced an increase in online shopping.
- 28% of adults shop online at least once a week, with electronics and travel as their most heavily researched categories prior to making a purchase.
- Compared to last year, Canadians are now more likely to agree to the statement, “Shopping online makes my life easier” (25% agreed in 2019 | 36% agreed in 2020).
Impacts of COVID-19 on Media Habits :
- A projected 38% of Canadian adults report that they are watching more live TV as it is broadcasted in comparison to their usual consumption pre-pandemic. This reported increase is greatest among those aged 50+ at 43%.
- 41% of all adults – and 52% of those under 35 – report using subscription video on demand services more now than pre-pandemic.
- Use of audio streaming services have also increased, with nearly 1 out of 4 adults reporting greater use of these services during the pandemic. Audio streaming services have also seen the greatest uptake among those under 35 at 34% reporting increased use.
- Canadians are using social media more now than prior to the pandemic as well. 43% of adults have increased their use of social media during the pandemic – and again, this increase is greatest among those under 35 at 60%.
Publications :
- Over 82% of Canadian adults read/accessed magazine or news brands (including community newspapers) in an average week via print or digital platforms.
- 70% read daily newspaper brand content in an average week, with just over half accessing content via a mobile device (smartphone or tablet).
- Just over 1 in 2 read magazine brand content in an average month, with food, travel, and health magazines remaining the most popular among Canadians.
- Nearly 3 in 5 read a community newspaper in an average month, with higher readership occurring in markets with a population under 100,000.
TV Viewing :
- In an average week, 93% of Canadian adults watch TV on any screen or device, spending approximately 21 hours per week.
- 64% of adults browse the internet on a computer or mobile device while watching TV, while 1 in 5 are active on social platforms.
- Just over 1 in 4 have searched online for a product, brand, or service advertised on TV, while 1 in 10 made a purchase.
- 66% watch TV as per a broadcast schedule, 53% watch through a subscription service, and 36% catch-up on demand.
Audio Streaming/Podcasts:
- 35% of Canadian adults agree, “I primarily listen to music through streaming services”. Those under 35, at 51%, are more likely than the general adult to agree to this statement.
- YouTube (at 22% reach), Spotify (at 19%), Streaming AM/FM (15%), and Google Play (at 8%) are the top ways to stream audio by Canadians, and all have experienced an increase in reach compared to Fall 2019.
- Just over 1 in 4 adults listen to podcasts in an average week. Males (Index 116) and those under 35 report higher rates of listening.
- News & politics (55%), society & culture (32%), and comedy (31%) are the most popular podcast genres among listeners.
Ad Blockers:
- 43% of Canadian adults have an ad blocker installed on their browser; again this is more common among those under 35, with 53% having done so (Index 122).
- Among those that have installed an ad blocker, their number one reason to use it is “there are too many ads” (8 out of 10 users), followed by “ads are annoying” (6 out of 10 users).
« Having served on Vividata’s Board for the past 3 years I am pleased to see such a transformation that began in 2018 with a new measurement strategy for the Survey of the Canadian Consumer and digital measurement”, says Vividata’s Treasurer and Board Director, Fred Auchterlonie. “Vividata’s release of all planned new studies and products, including a state-of-the-art fusion of online/offline data using Metrica and the Survey of the Canadian Consumer, in such challenging times, speaks to their level of commitment to Canadian research. »
