Starcom Romania launches Consumer Report 2023

Key Highlights from the 2023 edition of the Consumer Report

Traditional televisions remain the top choice for consumers, especially for families without children (74%), although are used equally with Smart TVs. These smart TVs have gained popularity compared to the previous year among single young adults (69%), a segment that is also much more interested in the most advanced TV screens.

Regarding online content consumption, single young adults (68%) are still the consumer segment that spends the most time on the internet, and laptops remain the preferred devices used in households. Together with families with children (41%), they are the main users of laptops, while tablets are gaining ground compared to the previous year, due to their versatile utility. Smartphones are the basic devices used for internet browsing by all consumer categories, with young people being the main segment opting for them (97%).

Similar to 2022, younger generations prefer to communicate most often using mobile devices, through direct messaging and social media. Families with children and single young adults use phones more for email communication and to stay informed about the latest news.

In the top ranking of social media are the same players – Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. On the other hand, the platform that is increasingly successful among young people is TikTok, surpassing Instagram in rural areas. The ranking continues with Pinterest and Telegram, which target mainly teenegers.

Compared to 2022, consumers are listening less offline content, as young people opt for online audio content, which is much more versatile in musical preferences. Regarding radio, most Romanians listen to it in the car, at home, or at work. The most popular radio programs this year remain music and news, followed by morning shows.

The most appreciated music genres by all consumer segments are pop/disco/dance and classical music. Younger generations are more attracted to rhythmic rap/hip-hop and rock music, resonating with their energetic attitude. Families with and without children prefer classical repertoire melodies.

In turn, participation in cultural events is increasing, especially among teenegers and single young adults. The top ranking includes visits to museums, art exhibitions, followed by concerts and theater plays.

Compared to 2022, interest in editorial content has decreased among certain analyzed segments. Offline content is preferred especially by families, although their interest in online content is declining compared to 2022. However, young people spend more time than the previous year on both types of editorial content (<30 min/day), indicating their need to check the news and rely on accredited sources.

In 2023, there was a decrease in the frequency of book purchases and the time dedicated to reading, especially among readers who prefer physical books. Consumer buying behavior shows that they are increasingly turning their attention to electronic reading. Prose ranks highest in preferred genres, followed by children’s books and specialty books.

In 2023, most of Romanians spend between 3-5 hours outside their homes daily, in this average has seen an increase compared to the previous year. The most frequent activities are walks and visits to close acquaintances, with the most active consumer segment represented by young people. At the same time, teenagers and single young adults engage in more sports than the rest of the analyzed categories, preferring football, athletics, cycling, or individual sports.
Regarding indoor activities, most Romanians, especially young people (62%), prefer to relax. Families with children prefer more practical activities and choose to repair certain things around the house, cook, or engage in handicrafts.

Although online purchases have become more popular, physical shopping remains the preference of consumers, especially for families with children (93%). All the segments opt for visits to major supermarket chains near their homes.

Regarding online shopping, young people are most interested in purchasing clothing, footwear, cosmetics, or personal care products. Of course, product categories differ depending on the consumer segment, with families with children preferring to purchase cleaning products or appliances that streamline daily activities online.

The main criterion influencing Romanians’ buying decision remains the price, especially in the current economic context. Consumers analyze the best price offer and allocate time to find out about the usefulness provided by a particular product. Families without children in the household opt to purchase an item after seeing online or TV advertisements, while families with children prefer to find out more details about the desired product from sellers’ websites or directly from the store.

The short version of the Consumer Report 2023 can we downloaded below.

A more complex interactive variant of Consumer Report is available at request, containing historical data for past 5 years and more data chapters including full overview on TV consumption, detailed online behavior, including top websites visited, top social media apps used, online and offline editorial content preferences, triggers across shopping journey, most powerful brands in terms of brand awareness, advertising awareness, favourability, purchase and NPS. Write us an email to contact@dataintelligence.ro and request the full report.