Recently, the rapid withdrawal of US troops, change in government, and escalating humanitarian crisis in neighboring Afghanistan impacted not only Pakistan but the entire region. To assess the impact of the tumultuous past few months on Pakistanis, GeoPoll conducted a survey in October 2021, following up on our study from January 2021.

The survey gathers on the ground feedback from Pakistanis on a number of regionally important topics, including:

• Foreign influences on the economy, military, politics, and culture of Pakistan
• Perceptions on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan
• Thoughts on immigration, security, and international aid
• The ongoing impacts of COVID-19
• Personal finances and the country’s economy

Findings from the survey show continued Pakistani support for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. Most do not support Pakistan allowing more Afghan refugees, however, worrying about their impact on the economy and security. COVID-19 continues to present economic challenges as well, with most reporting a decrease in income compared to before the pandemic. Despite these hardships, several positive trends surfaced, including an increase in likeliness to take the vaccine as soon as possible and an optimistic outlook for Pakistan’s future.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report, or scroll down to view the survey data in the interactive data dashboard.

Interactive Data Dashboard

Dive deeper into GeoPoll’s on-the-ground data from Pakistan using the dashboard below. Here, you can view all pieces of data from this study, filterable by Province, age group, gender, and question.

Conduct Research in Pakistan

This study provides on the ground data and insights on pressing topics of interest in Pakistan. GeoPoll can conduct research in Pakistan via 2-way SMS surveys, Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) voice calls, mobile web links, and in-person research methods. To learn more about GeoPoll’s capabilities in Pakistan and around the world, please contact us.

The post GeoPoll Report: Follow-up Pakistan Study on Afghanistan, Immigration, and COVID-19 appeared first on GeoPoll.

COVID-19 continues to exert immense pressure on the world’s emerging markets, creating economic concerns that rival the health concerns. With a third or fourth wave of the virus gripping many countries, it is becoming increasingly difficult for governments to get a handle on either of those challenges.

As a followup to GeoPoll’s 2020 reports and April 2021 report on the impacts of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, GeoPoll conducted a survey in nine countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia to assess the ongoing effects of the pandemic on respondents’ finances, spending and health, their thoughts and concerns about the vaccine, and their hopes for the future.

The main topics covered include:

• Changes to consumer income and financial outlook
• Changes in consumer spending habits
• Perceptions about government response to the pandemic
• Concerns about and willingness to take the vaccine
• Adherence to public health measures and changes in emotional health

Findings from this study illustrate a world continuing to suffer the economic and societal impacts of COVID-19. Incomes continue to fall, particularly in emerging economies such as Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and Brazil, while prices for food and other necessities increase. Many express concern both with paying their expenses and with the pandemic overall. Despite these hardships, several positive trends surfaced, including the likeliness to take the vaccine when it is available, emotional health improvements, and optimism for the future.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report, or scroll down to view the survey data in the interactive dashboard.

Interactive Data Dashboard

Dive deeper into GeoPoll’s data on the ongoing economic and societal impacts of COVID-19 in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, Egypt, Brazil, Colombia, and China using the interactive dashboard below. You can view all pieces of data from this study, filterable by country, age group, gender, and question.

The post GeoPoll Report: The Ongoing Impacts of COVID-19 Across Africa, Latin America and Asia appeared first on GeoPoll.

As part of its study in April 2021 on the ongoing economic, social, and health impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, GeoPoll asked respondents in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa about their likeliness to take the vaccine when it becomes available – and when they think that might be. We also asked if they have been provided enough trustworthy information about the vaccine and about any concerns they might have.

This article draws from that study, focusing on perceptions, expectations, and concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine. You can access the full interactive result dashboard and download the report for free here.

Trustworthy Vaccine Information

After living with the pandemic for more than a year, many questions and uncertainties remain. In this study, less than half the respondents (48%) believe they have been provided enough trustworthy information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Persistent rumors around the vaccine have clearly degraded peoples’ confidence in the information available to them and demonstrate the importance of stakeholders battling misinformation around vaccines.

Likeliness to Get the Vaccine

Respondents’ likeliness to get the vaccine mirrors their trust in the information available about the vaccine. Only 48% of respondents across countries said they would probably or definitely get the vaccine right away if it was available for free. That is down from 62% in our previous study in November 2020, further illustrating the impact of continued negative information about the vaccine.

Concerns About the Vaccine

Overall, the top reasons why respondents may not get the vaccine are uncertainty about its effectiveness and potential health risks. That does not hold true in each country, however, as shown in the chart below.

Expectations About Vaccine Availability

Looking ahead, the opportunity to interrupt virus transmissions and initiate social and economic recovery in sub-Saharan Africa largely hinges on the availability and distribution of vaccines. All of the sub-Saharan African countries included in this study have initiated limited vaccination programs, mainly procured through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility, but at this point there are simply not enough doses available to approach herd immunity.

The delayed rollout of the vaccine so far in Africa has pushed back when respondents from all six countries in this study expect the vaccine will be available to the public.

In our study in November 2020, 31% believed a vaccine would be available in the first half of 2021. Only 10% believed it would be available in the second half of 2021 and 5% believed it wouldn’t be until 2022. In this study, the percentage that believe the vaccine will be available in the first half of 2021 dropped from 31% to 26%. The percentage that believes the vaccine will be available in the second half of 2021 jumped from 10% to 34%, and the percentage that predict it will not be available until 2022 or later jumped from 5% to 30%.

Follow GeoPoll for Continued COVID-19 Research

Throughout 2021, GeoPoll will continue to monitor the long-term implications of COVID-19 and sentiments towards a vaccine in sub-Saharan Africa and around the globe. Sign up to be updated when GeoPoll releases new COVID-19 research, and please contact us if you require additional information regarding this study or would like to conduct your own research using GeoPoll’s mobile- based data collection capabilities and global reach.

The post Report: COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions and Hesitancy in Sub-Saharan Africa appeared first on GeoPoll.

This article draws from GeoPoll’s May 2021 report on the ongoing economic, social, and health impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as vaccine perceptions from a survey we conducted in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa in March/April 2021. You can access the interactive result dashboard and download the report for free here.

In this article, we will focus on the economic impact of the pandemic, particularly how personal and household incomes have changed, how consumer spending habits have shifted, and the financial outlook for the next couple of months.

Incomes Have Decreased

The coronavirus pandemic has seen many industries suffer the brunt of a forced change in lifestyle as governments imposed measures to cut the spread of the disease. Many businesses closed down or reduced capacities, leading to income and job losses for many people.

The World Bank, in its biannual economic analysis for the region in March 2021, projects sub-Saharan Africa will see moderate economic growth this year, rebounding from the COVID-19 induced recession of 2020. However, the resurgence of the pandemic is dampening those projections, and many are at risk of suffering further setbacks to their personal finances and living standards.

In GeoPoll’s previous study on the ongoing impact of COVID-19 from November 2020, 79% of respondents stated their income had decreased since June 2020. Our current study shows that downward trend continuing with 64% saying their income has decreased since January 2021. The largest segment (42%) say it has decreased a lot.

In Kenya, the recent resurgence of the pandemic and renewal of government restrictions around the time the survey ran appears to have had a severe economic impact, with 79% of respondents in the country reporting a decrease in income. Young people in Kenya appear to be particularly affected, with 66% of respondents ages 15-25 saying their income has decreased a lot. Only 10% of respondents across countries said their income has increased even a bit.

Consumer Spending Changed

Spending on food and other necessities has fluctuated significantly since the start of 2021. When asked to compare their current spending on food and other necessities to three months ago, most respondents choose the extremes, saying it either decreased a lot (27%) or increased a lot (24%). Only 12% of respondents say it has not changed.

Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 18.17% in March 2021, hitting a 4-year peak due to the impacts of COVID-19. Food inflation in particular rose to 22.95%, putting even more pressure on households faced with rising unemployment and shrinking incomes. In our study, 68% of respondents in Nigeria stated that their spending on food and other necessities has increased since January 2021. Almost half (47%) say it has increased a lot.

The overwhelming reason why respondents across countries say their spending on food and other necessities has decreased is that they have less money (76%). For respondents that stated their spending on food and other necessities has increased, 85% claim the increase is because prices have gone up. In Nigeria, that number rises to 94%.

With 64% of respondents saying their income has decreased since January 2021, it is understandable that 60% of respondents say their spending on non-essential items has also decreased. In Kenya, where 79% of respondents experienced a decrease in income, 51% say their spending on non-essential items has decreased a lot. It is likely a matter of prioritizing essentials such as food over non-essentials such as fashion items.

Most respondents across countries (65%) say the reason why their spending on non-essential items has decreased is because they have less money. Almost 18% say it is because they are spending more elsewhere – likely on food and essentials. Of the relatively few respondents that say their spending on non-essential items has increased, 77% attribute the increase to a rise in prices. In Nigeria, 90% attribute it to a rise in prices.

How the Near Future Looks Financially

The prevalent drop or stagnation in income in sub-Saharan Africa has understandably impacted consumer finances and spending.

Across countries, most respondents (53%) say they are extremely concerned about paying expenses in the next three months.

The level of concern is particularly high in Mozambique with 70% of respondents saying they are extremely concerned, in line with World Bank’s assessment that a sizeable number of Mozambicans could fall back into poverty as a result of the pandemic. Conversely, in the Democratic Republic of Congo almost half (46%) of respondents say they are not concerned at all about paying expenses. That is 12% higher than Côte D’Ivoire and more than double the other four countries included in this study.

Looking ahead, respondents have polarized views about their financial future. When asked to rate their optimism about their financial situation improvising in the next three months, 37% are not at all optimistic and 35% are extremely optimistic. Respondents ages 26-35 are slightly more optimistic than the other age groups with 38% saying they are extremely optimistic. Women are more likely to be extremely optimistic than men (38% to 32%).

Nigeria stands out as having the brightest outlook for the future. Despite the tumultuous first few months of 2021, 46% of respondents in Nigeria are extremely optimistic about their financial situation improving in the next 3 months. Respondents in the Democratic Republic of Congo are the most skeptical, with only 27% extremely optimistic and 54% not at all optimistic. According to the United Nations, one-third of the DRC’s population is currently facing acute hunger due to conflict and the economic impacts of COVID-19, providing possible context for that skepticism.

About This Survey

This study was implemented by GeoPoll using our own mobile research platform and respondent database via two-way SMS between March 24th and April 12th, 2021 with some countries completing data collection earlier than others.

The study questionnaire was designed by GeoPoll researchers and translated where needed and was run in six countries: Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa. The total sample size was 400 per country and 2,400 total, which provides a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence interval. GeoPoll used a simple random sampling technique from GeoPoll’s respondent database of mobile subscribers in each country surveyed. The sample was nationally representative by age, gender and location (ADM1).

For more information on the sample and methodology, to request copies of the questionnaire and response data, or to speak to a GeoPoll representative on conducting surveys in Africa, Asia and Latin America, please contact us.

The post Report: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Africa appeared first on GeoPoll.

The economic slowdown caused by the pandemic has disproportionally impacted the most marginalized countries and individuals of the world. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the economic losses are expected to be much higher in emerging markets than in advanced economies. On an individual level, the virus has deepened inequality across sub-Saharan Africa with young and low-skilled workers, women and refugees bearing the brunt of the downturn.

Looking ahead, the opportunity to interrupt virus transmissions and initiate social and economic recovery in sub-Saharan Africa largely hinges on the availability and distribution of vaccines. The pandemic, however, has also exposed global inequalities in health care. At this point there are simply not enough doses available to inoculate entire African nations in the near term. The spread of false information and conspiracy theories has also led to an increase in vaccine hesitancy, further complicating vaccination efforts.

After living with the pandemic for more than a year, many questions and uncertainties remain. As a follow up to GeoPoll’s 2020 reports on the impact of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa, GeoPoll conducted a survey to assess the ongoing effects of the pandemic on respondents’ finances, spending, and health, their thoughts and concerns about the vaccine, and their hopes for the future. This report details the results from that survey.

The study was conducted in March 2021 in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa. The main topics covered include:

• Changes to consumer finances, spending, and mobile money usage
• Perceptions about the government response to the virus and the trustworthiness of information available
• Anticipation about the availability and willingness to take the vaccine
• Adherence to public health measures and changes to mental and physical health

Findings from this study illustrate the ongoing disruption of COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. Incomes and spending continue to fall since our study in November 2020, while prices have risen. The percentage likely to take the vaccine if it was available has decreased since November, as has optimism about when that might be. Despite these hardships, several positive trends surfaced in this study, including improvements in emotional and physical health.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report, or view data in the interactive dashboard.

Data: Financial Impact, Government Response, Likelihood to Take the Vaccine, and more.

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Although Pakistan has not recorded as many COVID-19 cases as India and other countries, lockdowns and other measures including the closure of schools to stop the spread of the pandemic have upended life for many in Pakistan in the past year. Actions related to COVID-19 combined with extreme weather events including drought, flooding, and locusts in the past years have also contributed to food insecurity in the country, particularly among the poorest populations.

In order to gather on-the-ground feedback from Pakistanis on their feelings towards the US troop removal from Afghanistan, foreign influencers, and how COVID-19 has impacted their lives in the past year, GeoPoll conducted a study via SMS in Pakistan with 408 respondents, the majority of whom were located in the Punjab region. The study was conducted in January 2021. While this study was not nationally representative, it provides some high-level insights into the views of Pakistanis and how they are looking to the future. Read a summary of results below or jump to the dashboard with full results.

Pakistan and the Great Power Competition

There are several factors that make Pakistan a geopolitically significant country, and as such foreign powers including the United States, China, and Russia have an interest in Pakistan. GeoPoll’s study asked several questions regarding foreign influences on Pakistan, and the responses demonstrate how different countries are influencing different aspects of Pakistan. Economically, China was the clear largest influencer, cited by 49% as the biggest influencer of Pakistan’s economy, likely related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, an infrastructure initiative.

Respondents were more split on the largest influence on Pakistan’s military and politics, with 33% stating that China has the largest influence on Pakistan’s military, 20% stating the United States, and 21% stating India. Politically, the United States and India are cited as the largest influences, at 32% each.

Culturally, 50% of respondents stated that India was the largest influence on Pakistan’s culture, with other countries including the United States, China, and Afghanistan having under 15% of responses each. Russia was not listed as a significant influence in any question, though more respondents felt Russia influences Pakistan’s military (7%) than any other category. Afghanistan’s biggest perceived influence was in Pakistan’s culture.

Pakistan’s Views on US Troop Withdrawal

 Respondents were somewhat split on the United States’ recent announcement that they would withdraw troops from Afghanistan, with the largest group (43%) stating that they ‘strongly agree’ with the decision, while 33% strongly disagree with the decision. Although relatively small sample sizes, the oldest age group were most likely to state that they strongly disagree with the troop withdrawal, with 50% of those aged 35 and older strongly disagreeing with the removal. Females were also slightly more likely to disagree with the US troop withdrawal than males.

COVID-19 and Pakistan  

COVID-19 has had economic and social impacts on huge portions of the population in most countries, and Pakistan is no exception. In line with our findings from other studies, GeoPoll found that 41% in Pakistan stated that finances were their biggest challenge due to COVID-19, and 44% state that their income has decreased a lot compared to before COVID-19, with an additional 26% stating their income has decreased a little. Despite this, respondents expressed hope for the future, with 56% stating that they believe Pakistan’s economy will get better in the next year, and 55% believing that their personal finances will get better in the next year.

Additionally, a majority of respondents stated that they would get the COVID-19 vaccine once it is available to them, with 41% stating they will ‘definitely’ get the vaccine as soon as possible, and 25% stating they would ‘probably’ get the vaccine as soon as possible. The biggest concern surrounding the vaccine was the ability for everyone to get the vaccine, at 28%, followed by vaccine safety, at 21%.

Conduct Research in Pakistan 

This study provides some high-level insights into several topics of interest in Pakistan. GeoPoll can conduct research in Pakistan via 2-way SMS surveys, Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) voice calls, web links, and in-person research methods. To learn more about our capabilities in Pakistan, please contact us.

The post Pakistan Study on COVID-19, US Troop Withdrawal appeared first on GeoPoll.

As a follow up to GeoPoll’s earlier reports on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, we conducted the GeoPoll Year-End survey evaluating the year that has been and the outlook for the coming year.

The Economic Impact of COVID-19 in Sub-Saharan Africa

When asked about the coronavirus pandemic’s biggest challenges, finances stood out as the overwhelming challenge (55%), with ‘staying home’ trailing at 23% as the second biggest challenge. This finding could be tied directly to findings surrounding income changes since June, as 79% stated that their income had decreased since June. This percentage is even higher than the 76% who reported income decreases in our previous study. In addition, 65% state that they are more concerned with paying their expenses now than in June 2020, when 71% were already more concerned with paying expenses than pre-COVID.

These findings demonstrate that even though restrictions have been loosened in all six countries studied, the pandemic’s economic impacts continue to be felt and, for many, have worsened over time. While all countries reported high levels of income decrease, Kenya had the highest percentage of respondents who said their income had decreased a lot compared to June 2020, at 64%.

Even though restrictions have been loosened in all six countries studied, the economic impacts of the pandemic continue to be felt and for many have worsened over time – GeoPoll

Changes to Consumer Habits Due to COVID-19

Given the decreases in income observed, it is not surprising that we also observe changes in spending patterns, with consumers focusing more on essential items than non-essentials. In addition, one of the effects of the pandemic has been a scarcity of products due to disruptions in supply chains, which has resulted in rising prices of various commodities. These factors could be some of the reasons most respondents (60%) in the GeoPoll study reported spending more this year compared to last year on essential items such as food, while just 23% are spending less.

The report also shows a large shift away from non-essentials, with 59% saying they are spending less on clothes and beauty products than last year.

In contrast with several other countries where online shopping has increased during the pandemic, it has dropped in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly 60% report that they are shopping online less frequently than last year, which could be related to the overall decrease in purchasing of non-essential items. Compared to the previous year, 45% report they are using mobile money less frequently on mobile money usage, while 21% say they are using mobile money at about the same rates and 35% are using it more regularly.

It must be noted that, as with other findings in this summary, some of the considerations vary from country to country. For example, while online shopping decreased overall, more respondents in Kenya and South Africa reported shopping online more frequently, and over half (51%) of those in Kenya said that they are using mobile money more than the previous year, while 42% in Mozambique reported increasing their mobile money usage.

To see the statistics breakdown for each country and demographic, refer to this interactive report.

2020 Holiday Spending

Consumer spending is also experiencing changes; as the holiday season approaches, McKinsey’s study in South Africa found ongoing reductions in discretionary spending and that 88% of households expect to spend the same or less on the holidays as they did last year.

The 2020 holiday season is expected to be impacted by COVID-19, both socially and economically. Countries like Kenya have restrictions on night movement, meeting numbers, and hospitality business operations in place and studies have found that those in South Africa and other countries are planning to spend less on the holidays this year than in the past. GeoPoll’s research found similar results, with 40% overall stating that they will spend much less than last year, and 28% stating they will spend a bit less. Just under a quarter of respondents report they will spend more on the holidays this year, indicating that retailers should expect a decrease in holiday spending in 2020.

Economic Predictions for Next Year

As 2020 comes to a close, GeoPoll also examined the outlooks for next year. GeoPoll asked about the length of financial impacts of COVID-19, finding that almost half (45%) think economic effects will last at least six months, and 27% believe that the economic impacts will last over a year.

Despite this, there are signs of encouragement regarding respondents’ perceptions of their finances. A big majority (65%) believe that their finances will get better in the next year, compared to just 17% who think they will worsen, and 51% believe their country’s economy will get better in the next year. In comparison, 26% believe it will get worse.

Conduct Further Research with GeoPoll

These findings on consumer behavior are part of GeoPoll’s report on the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on various life spheres. Download the full report here or dive more in-depth into the full dataset with the interactive dashboard here.

GeoPoll conducts surveys globally through multiple mobile-based methods, remotely reaching any population. GeoPoll can conduct research to enable brands, international development organizations, and governments better understand realities on the ground, even in the face of the challenges the world is undergoing. To request more information on our capabilities or get a quote for an upcoming project, please contact us.

The post The impact of COVID-19 on income and consumer habits in Africa appeared first on GeoPoll.

There is also a question of how many people will be willing to get a vaccine right away; experts have said that around 80% to 90% of the population must have immunity to COVID-19 in order to reach ‘herd immunity’, but in countries such as the United States only about 60% are willing to take the vaccine right away. In Africa, where vaccine access has improved greatly in the past thirty years, the spread of false information and conspiracy theories has led to an increase in vaccine hesitancy, threatening to undo the progress that has been made.

With widespread vaccination a crucial factor in eradicating COVID-19, GeoPoll’s most recent study included several questions on vaccine hesitancy and the likelihood of populations to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The study was conducted in November, immediately following the news of Pfizer’s vaccine being at least 90% effective. Questions were administered by SMS to a nationally representative sample in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Download the full report below or view the interactive dashboard of results here.

Vaccine Hesitancy in sub-Saharan Africa

In order to assess vaccine hesitancy, GeoPoll asked about vaccine safety and effectiveness and found that in terms of vaccine safety, a third of respondents ‘strongly agree’ that vaccines are safe, while an additional 21% ‘somewhat agree’ and 29% ‘neither agree or disagree’. Confidence in vaccine safety is highest in Nigeria and South Africa, where 41% and 35% respectively strongly agree that vaccines are safe. Those in the DRC were the most likely to report that they strongly disagree that vaccines are safe, at 23% of respondents. There were no large differences observed by age and gender.

Examining vaccine effectiveness, we find similar results, with a third reporting they ‘strongly agree’ vaccines are effective and 24% somewhat agreeing with the same statement. Again those in Nigeria were most likely to strongly agree with vaccine effectiveness, at 40%, while those in DRC were most likely to strongly disagree. Overall slightly more respondents either strongly or somewhat agree that vaccines are effective than they agreed with vaccines being safe.

Comparing this question to findings around trust in government information, we found that those who were less confident regarding their government’s information also reported lower levels of agreement with vaccine safety. Of those who strongly disagreed that their government was providing truthful information, 30% strongly agree that vaccines are safe, while 37% who strongly agreed that their governments information is truthful say the same regarding vaccine safety.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in South Africa, Kenya and more

GeoPoll also asked ‘If a COVID-19 vaccine was available for free today, would you get it as soon as possible?’ and found that in total 42% stated they would ‘definitely’ get it as soon as possible, while ‘20%’ stated ‘probably’. This question showed interesting trends by country, with those in Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa reporting relatively high levels of likelihood to take a COVID-19 vaccine, while those in DRC and Côte D’Ivoire are less likely to take a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Although the youngest age group, those aged 15-24, reported slightly lower levels of enthusiasm regarding taking a COVID-19 vaccine than older age groups, the differences were quite small, with 59% of the youngest group and 62% of the oldest group reporting they would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ take a vaccine as soon as it was available.

When asked what concerns respondents most about a COVID-19 vaccine, vaccine safety was listed first, at 35%, followed by the ability for everyone to get the vaccine at 27%. Interestingly even in countries which had higher levels of agreement with vaccines being safe in general, such as Kenya, vaccine safety is the top concern when asking specifically about the COVID-19 vaccine. The youngest age group was most likely to be concerned over safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 37% of those aged 15-24 listing vaccine safety as their top concern.

Similarly to the findings regarding overall vaccine safety and effectiveness, likelihood to take a vaccine is impacted by trust in government information. Of those who either strongly or somewhat disagreed that their government was providing truthful information, 34% would definitely take a vaccine right away, while of those who agreed with their government’s information, 47% would definitely take a vaccine as soon as it’s available.

COVID-19 Vaccine Availability and Delivery

GeoPoll also examined when populations believe a vaccine will be available to the public, finding that the largest group, 39%, reported being unsure, while 31% believe a vaccine will be available between January and June 2020, and only 5% believe that a vaccine will not be available until 2022. Those in South Africa believe a vaccine will be available to the public the earliest, with 39% in South Africa believing that a vaccine will be available between January and June 2020, while respondents in the DRC are least sure about when a vaccine will be widely available.

Vaccine distribution is being heavily discussed as vaccines go into production, with most reports stating that healthcare workers and elderly or vulnerable populations will be the first to receive a vaccine. GeoPoll’s study found that, while 29% believe healthcare workers will receive a vaccine first, 23% believe that ‘those who can pay’ will get it first. Results for this question were also quite different by country; in the DRC and Côte D’Ivoire, the largest groups of respondents believe that everybody will get access to a vaccine at once, while those in Kenya, Mozambique and Nigeria believe healthcare workers will get first access, and in South Africa the highest percent, 31%, think a vaccine will go to those who can pay. By gender, we find that males are slightly more likely than females to believe a vaccine will go first to those who can pay.

Conduct Research on Vaccines with GeoPoll  

These findings, along with the findings on income decrease and mental health outlined in our full report, demonstrate that those who are being hit the hardest by COVID-19 impacts are most willing to take a vaccine as soon as it is available. In the coming months, more research is needed on vaccine hesitancy along with perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine as it begins to be distributed. GeoPoll conducts surveys globally through multiple mobile-based methods, including Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing and SMS. To request more information on our capabilities or get a quote for an upcoming project, please contact us.

The post Vaccine Hesitancy and COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in sub-Saharan Africa appeared first on GeoPoll.

Consumer spending is also experiencing changes; as the holiday season approaches, a study from McKinsey in South Africa found ongoing reductions in discretionary spending, and that 88% of households expect to spend the same or less on the holidays as they did last year. In the meantime, news of pending vaccines is bringing hope that normalcy may return in 2021.

With these topics in mind, in November 2020 GeoPoll conducted a study in Côte D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa to gauge how lives have changed in 2020, people’s views on the future, and their willingness to take a vaccine.

This report compares results from this most recent study with GeoPoll’s previous studies, which covered topics from the perception of the disease to the economic impacts of COVID-19 in multiple African countries. The main topics covered in this study are:

• Changes to routines, mental and physical health since COVID-19
• The ongoing economic impact of COVID-19
• Changes to consumer spending, ecommerce and mobile money usage during COVID-19, and predicted holiday spending in 2020
• Perceptions of vaccines and willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine

Findings demonstrate that COVID-19 continues to have huge impacts on the financial stability of those in sub-Saharan Africa, and that these financial impacts are leading to mental health challenges for many. The effects of the virus are especially pronounced in Kenya and South Africa, where restrictions have been the most severe.

Click below to download GeoPoll’s full written report, or view data in the interactive dashboard.

Data: Financial Impact, Vaccine Acceptance, and more in 6 African Nations

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The post GeoPoll’s 2020 Year End Report: Ongoing Impact of COVID-19 in 6 African Countries appeared first on GeoPoll.

In March, GeoPoll ran a comprehensive study on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions in Kenya’s FMCG space. As this study occurred before the pandemic spread widely, we decided to utilize that data for a comparison study of the FMCG space and how it has changed during COVID-19. So, we ran the same questionnaire again and analyzed the differences in reported purchase decisions. This report will outline what was found, like an increased influence placed on the quality of disinfectants and more people making purchases based on convenience.

Methodology

This report will compare results from two rounds of survey research that were conducted in Kenya. Both the first round and second round of the study were conducted via mobile web and the questionnaires were identical. Round one of the studies ran from March 10^th to March 16^th, meaning the results reflect purchasing behavior before COVID-19 related stay at home guidelines were enacted by the Government of Kenya. As such, the results from round one will serve as a baseline for purchasing decisions on FMCG products in Kenya before the coronavirus pandemic. The second round ran from October 3^rd through October 6^th and the results from this round will reflect the changes in purchasing behavior of FMCG products due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both round one and two had 400 respondents located in the following urban centers throughout Kenya: Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, Nyeri, Kiambu, Kisumu, Machakos, Meru, Uasin Gishu, Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kilifi, Vihiga. The gender split was 50% male and 50% female in the first round and 51% male and 49% female in the second round. There were 33% of respondents in each of the following age groups for the first round, 18-24, 25-34, 35+. In the second round, 18% of respondents were 18-24, 42% of respondents were 25-34, and 31% of respondents were over 35.

Most Frequently Purchased FMCG Products in Kenya

Both of the questionnaires began with a list of over 30 FMCG products that fall into seven categories: dental hygiene, soap, hair care, cleaning, beauty, food, and beverages. Respondents were asked to indicate whether or not they had purchased each of the items listed within the past 30 days. The table included above shows the top 10 most purchased items from each of the studies.

The top two most purchased items were toothpaste and bread in both rounds of the study and the percentages did not fluctuate more than 2% each. Although the percentage of respondents that purchased laundry soap within the 30 days preceding the survey remained the same, laundry soap dipped from 3^rd place to 5^th place from pre- to post-COVID. Converse ranking changes occurred for meat purchases from the first to the second round, although meat purchases were made 9% more in the post-COVID round than in the pre-COVID round. Also notable is the increased purchases of grains and beans, which replaced toothbrushes on the top 10 list.

Factors Influencing Purchase Decisions of FMCG Products in Kenya

In past studies on Kenyan consumer behavior, it has been found that consumers are price-aware and brand loyal, yet tend to justify paying higher prices in exchange for quality products. The data collected in both rounds of these studies generally reflect such findings.

Overall, the results of the studies showed that quality was by far the key driver of FMCG purchases. In every product category other than beverages, quality influenced purchases at least 20% more than any other factor in both rounds. When comparing the studies against one another, there was even a slight increase in the role that quality played in the purchases reported in round two, which indicates that quality plays an even more important role in FMCG purchasing decisions in a post-COVID era than the pre-COVID era.

Considering the charts above, the most important factors that influenced purchasing decisions from round one to round two were minimal; however, when the results are looked at by item individually rather than by category, there are some interesting insights about how COVID has changed consumer’s buying behavior.

Within the cleaning category, disinfectant cleaner and floor cleaner had somewhat opposite changes from before the pandemic to after the pandemic. Disinfectant cleaner purchases were driven 5% more by quality after the pandemic than before, while floor cleaner purchases were driven 2% less by quality, 5% less by brand, and 10% more by price. These changes are likely due to the pandemic and consumer’s general concern about killing the coronavirus.

Although the differences were rather small, similar differences in key influences of purchasing decisions before verses after the pandemic began were seen for other products as well. For example, the influence of price increased for non-essential FMCG items, like window cleaner, hair oils, and mouthwash, while the influence of quality increased for health-related items like produce, meat, and disinfectant cleaner. Interestingly, the influence of quality did not increase for one of the most essential items during the COVID pandemic: hand soap. The largest change seen for hand soap was an increase in the influence convenience had on purchases, which is likely due to consumers needing to purchase more frequently than usual due to diligent hand washing practices for virus prevention.

Key Takeaways: GeoPoll Research Solutions for the FMCG Space in Kenya

GeoPoll’s mobile research solutions are a flexible resource for gathering insights on consumer behavior. Data-driven decision making is crucial when adapting to a rapidly changing market, like the market during the ever-evolving coronavirus pandemic. For more information on how GeoPoll can gather valuable data for your team, contact us today.

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