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6 June 2006
Hong Kong
Results from the global ACNielsen online survey about consumers’ attitudes towards shopping have confirmed that the world’s biggest shopaholics are to be found in Asia and more closely Hong Kong!
A recent ACNielsen global online survey conducted among 22,000 Internet users in 42 markets has revealed that 74 percent of world’s consumers admit to shopping as ‘a form of entertainment’ while 93 percent of Hong Kong consumers see the same.
According to the ACNielsen survey, seven of the top 10 markets with most people claim to shop once a week simply to amuse themselves all hail from Asia. People in Hong Kong (34%), UAE (30%) and Thailand (27%) top the world for shopping once a week for ‘entertainment’. Hong Kongers rank first again for shopping as frequent as twice a week just ‘for something to do’, followed by Thailand’s distant second (9%) and Singapore the third (7%) – no surprise then, with their people walking the talk, that these cities have positioned their market as a major shopping attractions internationally. (Table 1)
“Hong Kong has long been promoted as a shopping paradise. The opening of bigger and better shopping malls with shopping, dining and entertainment all under one roof are everywhere, not to mention the close proximity of everything in the city,” said Bienvenido Niles, Regional President, ACNielsen, Asia Pacific. “Meanwhile neighboring countries are also fast catching up with new or even what some claimed as the biggest or tallest malls keeping local people and tourists busy!”
As frequent as they shop, Hong Kong shoppers however do not necessarily think they are doing it for therapeutic purpose as some might have thought given the relatively fast pace lifestyle and work stress in the city. Only nine percent consider clothes shopping therapeutic compared to the global 18 percent topped by Russians (40%), Japan (38%) and Hungary (37%). (Table 2)
Clothes shopping
Apparently Japanese and Italians know what they want better than another one does when it comes to clothes shopping with about nine in 10 finding it either a necessary chore or something worth the while. For Hong Kong shoppers however, not many would consider clothes shopping a favorite thing to do (12%). Rather, four in 10 think clothes-shopping is a necessary chore and five percent even loathe it. (Table 3) “For many people in Hong Kong, shopping is probably a way to get away from the relatively small living space and hang out with friends,” Mr Niles added. “The frequency of purchasing clothes may increase with the number of times they go out every week which has made clothes shopping not so much a special event.”
Similarly, in Europe, over half of consumers in Austria, Norway, and the Netherlands describe clothes shopping as a necessary chore.
It is the booming economies of China (31%) and India (20%) that are embracing clothes shopping with unbridled enthusiasm and consider clothes shopping their favorite thing to do. (Table 4)
“The young adult populations of China and India are ambitious, hard working and have money to spend on their lifestyle – they are also brand-conscious and internationally aware of what their counterparts in the West are wearing and buying.” Mr Niles continued. “These millions of consumer represent the dream generation for international manufacturers and retailers where international brands – from shampoo and household goods to luxury designer goods - are all clamoring to capture a share of the booming consumer market in India and China.”
Only one European country made it into the global top ten ranking for clothes shopping being the “favorite” thing to do - and no prizes for guessing - it’s the trend setting Italians who lead the fashion shopping pack in this region.
About the Survey
The ACNielsen Online Consumer Confidence Survey, the largest twice-yearly global survey of its kind, is aimed to gauge consumers’ current confidence levels, spending habits/intentions and current major concerns. The most recent wave of the survey took place in November 2005 and polled over 23,500 consumers – regular Internet users – in 42 markets: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, and the United States.
About ACNielsen
ACNielsen, a VNU business, is the world’s leading marketing information provider. Offering services in more than 100 markets, the unit provides measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics and consumer attitudes and behavior. Clients rely on ACNielsen’s market research, proprietary products, analytical tools and professional service to understand competitive performance, to uncover new opportunities and to raise the profitability of their marketing and sales campaigns. To learn more, visit www.acnielsen.com.
Table 1
Table 2
Table 3
Table 4
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