As restrictions continue to ease and Ireland’s vaccine rollout progresses, we asked our everymum and Easy Food Magazine communities how they’re feeling. With over 2,600 participants, the results have painted a clear picture of where consumers across Ireland are at – and the findings will provide plenty of food for thought for marketers in the months ahead.
THE RACE FOR VACCINATION
As the Government plans to extend the Covid-19 vaccination programme to 12–15-year-olds, Zahra’s summer sentiment report has found the majority (63%) of parents across Ireland are comfortable with their children receiving the Covid-19 jab.
However, the nation is divided down the middle on whether the Government’s plans to have all adults vaccinated by the end of September will be achieved, with 50% confident and 50% not so hopeful. Despite this, over three-quarters of adults surveyed (78%) have been vaccinated, and of those yet to receive the jab, just one-quarter plan on turning it down. Interestingly, 47% would be comfortable receiving two doses from two different brands in a bid to get the fully vaccinated badge of approval.
PANDEMIC PARENTING
Just under 40% of parents say they are not comfortable with their children receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. The highest vaccine hesitancy rates were detected in parents living in Leinster (50%).
Despite the loosening of restrictions on maternity hospitals, 93% of women pregnant in 2021 did not have the option to have their partner present at all appointments. The study also shows Ireland’s younger cohort has not escaped the repercussions of the pandemic, with 41% of parents stating their child’s mental health has been impacted, and a further 46% feel their children’s confidence has been knocked over the past year.
For parents, it seems more time juggling kids and work commitments from home has had an impact on our reliance on childcare, with 41% stating they would be more likely to spend less on childcare in the future, taking on the responsibility themselves.
SPENDING & SAVING
The research shows the financial fallout of the pandemic remains evident across households nationwide, with almost two thirds (65%) concerned with budgeting for the remainder of this year. Home maintenance (62%), grocery expenses (57%) and childcare costs (25%) were the top causes for concern.
While over half of research participants (54%) saved more money than usual this year, 44% say the easing of restrictions means lockdown savings are quickly diminishing. The study shows our shopping habits have also changed, with 54% shopping less in-store now than pre-pandemic times. Reasons included online availability (42%), avoiding spending lots of time queuing (37%), and feeling unsafe in store (21%).
Despite spending more time indoors and close to home than ever before, the top two things people across Ireland intend to spend on in the months ahead include home improvements (59%) and local travel (53%).
THE REOPENING OF HOSPITALITY
The results show punters are treading carefully when it comes to indoor dining, with 56% of the opinion that hospitality should only open for people who have been fully vaccinated. When asked what matters the most when dining out, 48% said health and safety, while over a third (37%) said price. Almost all participants (85%) believe the cost of dining out in Ireland has increased, with 69% claiming to dine out less as a result.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
Whether it’s preparing to get back in action, revising your strategy to suit the post-pandemic market, or growing your local outreach to ensure the opening of the country opens new doors for your business, taking the time to learn how lockdown has changed consumer sentiments is a vital step towards making the rest of 2021 a success for your brand.
To get the full survey, sign up with your email address below—and for further insight on how you can use our findings to your advantage, email hello@zahramediagroup.com
