The final large scale trend we see proliferating to the US is an increase in local venue/brand support. 84% of consumers from Chinese cities bought more local products during lockdown, and 74% plan to continue to do so post-lockdown. Furthermore 25% plan to visit local bars and restaurants more, with 47% visiting with the same frequency. A combination of a renewed community pride and a reluctance to visit city and town centers has resulted in an uptake in visits to local outlets, even within our Chinese city-based sample, suggesting local suppliers and operators can capitalize here through focused promotions and supporting their local community. However, city center operators have some work to do to enhance their marketing strategies to attract consumers back in.
While US consumers have not suggested they will have as strong an aversion to city centers, they do highlight a similar feeling of rapport for their local venues and feel the need to protect them. This could be promising for small venues which are typically the least well-placed to cope with sudden shocks to revenue. While the Chinese market has clear differences to the US, the trends discussed above align with the suggested behavior we have seen in US consumer research. Even in a nation where consumers have expressed greater conformation to lockdown and a higher resistance to returning, over half of consumers are revisiting the On Premise in the first month or two after lockdown. This suggests an optimistic picture for the US where research has suggested the consumers feel more comfortable returning to venues.
With every state is behaving differently through their shelter in place restrictions and journey to recovery, it can be difficult to predict an effective approach. That’s why we’ve invested lots of expertise, passion and energy into a number of recovery products that can help our partners (and the wider industry) tackle this. With the right strategies in place, On Premise recovery is possible in the US.
For more information on how Nielsen CGA can help you, or if you have any questions or inquiries about our recovery products and services, simply contact us below.