THE NEW AGE OF GEN Z

We offer you the world’s largest study on the digital consumer, together with our partners from GWI, Global consumer research platform. It covers 53 markets, 2.8 BN internet users and almost 1M interviews per year.

Based on the comprehensive analysis from the report “Gen Z in CEE,” here are ten key findings about Generation Z in Central and Eastern Europe:

Digital and Gaming Engagement

Gen Z in CEE are highly engaged in digital activities, especially gaming. They are significantly more likely to engage in various gaming activities compared to other age groups, including watching livestreams, using micro-transactions, and participating in cloud gaming​​.

Media Consumption

This generation shows a high preference for digital media, with noticeable shifts towards platforms like TikTok, indicating a 27% increase in usage since 2021. In contrast, the usage of platforms like Facebook and Instagram has declined among this demographic​​.

Technology Adoption

Gen Z are early adopters of technology, expressing significant interest in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, with 58.2% excitement reported in the CEE region. They spend an average of four and a half hours daily on their mobile devices​​.

Mental Health Awareness

Mental health is a prominent issue among Gen Z, with a reported 89% higher likelihood of having a mental health condition compared to the global average. The influence of social media is often cited as a contributing factor​​.

Social Media Behavior

There has been a significant shift in how Gen Z uses social media, with TikTok gaining ground. They are also more likely to curate different online personas, with 25% reporting they appear online as someone different from their real-life identity​​.

Privacy Concerns

Gen Z is increasingly concerned about online privacy, showing a year-on-year increase in behaviors aimed at protecting privacy such as using private browsing modes or opting for anonymity online​​.

Changing Life Stages

Gen Z in CEE are increasingly engaging in adult life stages earlier, with more members of this generation reporting being employed, married, or parents compared to previous years. This shift indicates a maturity that impacts their consumer behavior and lifestyle choices​​.

Cultural Influence

Despite varied preferences in social media usage, Gen Z in CEE believes TikTok holds a significant cultural influence, more so than other platforms like Instagram, reflecting the platform’s impact on trends and communication styles​​.

Environmental Concerns

Gen Z shows a strong inclination towards environmental issues, with a higher likelihood of engaging in recycling and supporting environmental causes compared to older generations​​.

Socio-Political Engagement

Despite stereotypes suggesting a lack of interest, there is evidence of political and social engagement among Gen Z, particularly in their support for rights such as immigration and equality, challenging the narrative that they are disinterested in politics​​.

All figures in this report are drawn from GWI’s online research among internet users aged 16-64. Our figures are representative of the online populations of each market, not its total population.

This report uses data from our ongoing quarterly global research across the following 7 markets: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. In Q3 2023, we surveyed 10,540 internet users aged 16-64 across the CEE region.

In this report, we sometimes refer to indexes. Indexes are used to compare any given group against the average (1.00), which unless otherwise stated refers to the average consumer in the CEE region. For example, an index of “1.20” means that a given group is 20% above average.