Consumer behaviour still changing in UK

Consumers in the UK are continuing to make substantial modifications to their purchase behaviour, even though many have not seen their personal circumstances change during the downturn.

In a preview to their presentation at the Media Research Group's New Beginnings conference in London next week, UM and News International have released a range of new insights – available to Warc subscribers here – into the current views of British shoppers.

Their findings were drawn from UM's Finance 360° tracker, via its Media in Mind platform, which assesses the opinions of 2,500 adults, and News International's Consumer Eye panel of over 3,000 people.

Overall, their data revealed that even when participants had not been directly impacted by the economic crisis, declining confidence levels have resulted in a profound shift in popular preferences.

Some 40% of contributors have reduced their expenditure when it comes to socialising, while 38% entertain at home more frequently, and 37% are eating out less.

Equally, the onset of the recession means more respondents are paying close attention to their day-to-day finances, with two-thirds of households with children falling into the "wallet watcher" category. More http://www.warc.com/News/TopNews.asp?ID=25992&Origin=WARCNewsEmail

Source WARC