Economy: Child’s pester power declining – Research

Due to economic difficulty, the child’s pester power is declining, says Millward Brown report.

The report said that presently, mothers give the children what they (mothers) can afford instead of what the children are demanding.

Due to recession and its attendant consequence on purse, parents have prioritized their needs and de-emphasising requests by the kids who were hither potential decision-makers on adult’s decisions.

The Millward Brown report also believed that the observable changes should also affect companies’ communication strategy.

The report also noted that consumers have stopped buying in bulk and purchases are made as and when required. With this development, it said neigbouring stores are becoming prominent. Perhaps, this is where firms should concentrate for the distribution plans.

The multinational market research firm focused on advertising effectiveness, strategic communication, media and brand equity research led in Nigeria by Ugo Geri-Robert as Managing Director, also discovered that with the current fuel price, consumers are watching less of TV.  “Does this impact your media scheduling and planning?” it asked.

The research report also validated BusinessDay report recently that quality has taken a back seat and consumers do not mind compromising on taste in favor of affordability.

Among many Nigerian consumers, according to a recent report by BusinessDay, taste does not matter anymore, at least in the meantime as recession bites. Instead of over-spending on certain items, what is now important for consumers is making choices based on the availability of funds.

Those who spoke to BusinessDay acknowledged that the current economic decline has forced them to check what they spend on and it has led to drastic changes to their lifestyles. Most of the people interviewed said their taste has changed since recession set in as prices now determine what goods or service to go for.

The focal point for consumers is to have something to eat as consumers do not mind the taste distortion, says Roy, director at Millward Brown. “Consumers now go for the basics/what is required and not swayed by adverts or attractiveness of packaging”.

For instance, many parents have withdrawn their children from private schools to public schools due to high fees and they have cut other extras that consume money as their income affected by inflation can no longer meet their needs.

Taste is no longer the driving force as hike in prices is pushing people to make choices based on availability of funds said Hadijat Ijaduola,  a marketer who pulled her children from an expensive school to a private day school. For Tosin Adekunle, a banker, the recession has affected more than her taste. “Truth is that you can’t buy much like you used to buy before”. According to her, weave-on for ladies attachment hair is now so expensive that she has decided to grow her natural hair.

Mama Oyin, a trader on ladies hair accessories at Festac Town says people are no longer buying weave-on. Instead they prefer to use the old one they have at home.  “I have not sold the expensive types of weave-on in the last 6 months”, she said.