Americans are staying home more and are going out less. According to
an IHA News Release, Americans are seeking the safety and comfort of
home. A.J. Riedel, senior partner of Riedel Marketing Group states
that family values are just starting to emerge.
Excerpts:
?American consumers, seeking the safety and comfort of home, are
returning to traditional family values and reconnecting with family
and friends. Get-togethers such as family reunions, outdoor
entertaining and even having dinner together as a family, are on the
rise. There?s also an increase in home-based activities such as
scrapbooking, gardening, knitting, jewelry-making and other crafts as
well as leisure cooking.?
?A pendulum swing in family values is just starting to emerge,? says
A.J. Riedel, senior partner of Riedel Marketing Group. ?People are
starting to realize their lives have gotten so busy that the family
dinner has been sacrificed. Some are making an intentional effort to
bring back the sit-down family dinner.?
?We are seeing a higher regard or priority for family,? says Eleanor
Hanson, editor of FoodWatch, a newsletter that tracks consumer food
trends. ?Consumers are seeking ways to get the family together, such
as for family dinners during the week or a Sunday dinner
get-together.?
IHA News Release: Jan. 23, 2004
http://www.housewares.org/industry/news/releases/42.asp
===========================================
A cocooning effect is taking place.
The term "cocooning" is used to describe the consumer's need to
retreat from the stresses of the outside world.
?After Sept. 11, 2001, many Americans turned inward toward the safety
and security of the home. While many have begun venturing outside into
the world again, housewares industry veterans report many consumers
prefer to remain burrowed inside their safe haven.?
"Cocooning is not leaving us and is only growing as we go through
these unsettled times of high alert and uncertainty," says Tom
O'Higgins, founder and president of The O'Company, a strategic
marketing and design firm focused on the housewares and gourmet
industries. "People will do more in-home entertaining and more
in-country travel than even before," he continues.
Bob Coviello, president of the HTI Buying Group adds: "The consumer is
still fortressing and nesting; the process is still continuing. The
consumer is staying close to home and spending time at home."
Dana Chase Publications, Inc.
http://www.appliancemagazine.com/zones/consumer/06_housewares/editorial.php?article=420&zone=6&first=1
===========================================
From an AdAge Special Report published April 5, 2004
Cocooning is Strong
?Even if some security-related concerns are lessening, the desire to
stay in, and enjoy the safety and comfort of the cocoon, remains
strong. A total of 54% of Lightspeed respondents said they were more
inclined than a year ago to spend more time at home, and only 9% said
they were less inclined.?
Read the full text of this article here:
http://www.lightspeedresearch.com/company_profile/news_and_events/PDFs/ad_age_04_05_04.pdf
===========================================
In the past quarter, media outlets have reported that a "cocooning"
trend is keeping consumers at home, where they're spending time with
family and participating in home-based entertainment. We've heard
traditional handcrafts such as knitting are on the rise, board games
are hot again, clothing is comfortable and food is home-cooked. Some
trend-watchers say a return to the comforts of home was happening even
before September 11 and others say "cocooning" isn't happening at all.
We asked our NPD industry experts what's really going on in their
industries.
(. . .)
"Immediately after September 11, Americans used take-out services more
than during previous weeks. Going out to eat dropped, but it already
was weak. We replaced home-prepared meals with take-out meals so we
could stay in front of the TV as events unfolded. Since then, as the
economy has shifted, it appears that Americans are freeing up some of
their discretionary income to spend at restaurants. The 'stay at home'
or 'go out to eat' decision is more likely to be an economic decision
than one based on 'cocooning' for security or comfort reasons." -
Harry Balzer, National Eating Trends
NPD INSights
http://www.npdinsights.com/corp/enewsletter/html/archives/april2002/p_business.html
===========================================
?Many commentators have suggested that there are widespread
psychological effects from 9/11. The major theme of their profiles is
that people are staying home more, and are more interested in
home-based activities.?
http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:1Jh-RdxIrQ4J:www.rcls.org/FYI/FYI0102.pdf+%22people+are+staying+home+more++%22+economic&hl=en
===========================================
Americans prefer o stay home
70 percent of Americans said they?d stay home on a given night when
choosing where to spend an evening.
?In a new survey of 1,002 adults ages 18 and older, the Gallup
Organization found that the overwhelming majority of Americans prefer
home-based activities to a night on the town.?
Since 1960, when Gallup began asking what Americans like to do at
night, most have said that they would prefer to stay home.
?In fact, only 10 percent said they'd go out. And though home has
gained attention as a haven since Sept. 11, neither the homebody
preference, nor its intensity, are post-terrorism phenomena. Since
1960, when Gallup began asking what Americans like to do at night,
most have hung their hats at their own front doors.?
?Americans under 30 are the least likely group to stay home. Yet even
among those young go-getters, 58 percent hunker down in their easy
chairs - either alone, or with family and friends.?
Read full text of this article here:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0116/p15s2-lihc.html
Top five ways to spend an evening
8% Getting together with friends
9% Resting or relaxing
9% Reading
23% Other
25% Staying home with family
26% Watching TV, DVD, VHS
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0116/csmimg/0116p15b.jpg
===========================================
January 27, 2004
Americans' Satisfaction: There's No Place Like Home
by Darren K. Carlson, Government and Public Affairs Editor
?For many people, everything is better at home. The meals taste
better. The beds are more comfortable. One grows accustomed to
everyday surroundings, like the weather, and that familiarity provides
comfort. Regardless of where they live, Americans tend to develop a
sense of community pride, cheer for the home team, and embrace their
hometown's imperfections.?
To read the rest of the article, subscribe to Gallup Poll on Demand at this link:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/content/login.aspx?ci=10408
===========================================
Survey details how Americans spend their time
By SCOTT BARANCIK, Times Staff Writer
Published September 15, 2004
http://saintpetersburgtimes.com/2004/09/15/Business/Survey_details_how_Am.shtml
View the average American weekday graphic
http://saintpetersburgtimes.com/2004/09/15/workdaygraphic/images/workday.gif
===========================================
American Time-Use Survey Summary
The survey is sponsored by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and conducted by the U.S.
Census Bureau. ATUS estimates for 2003 are based on interviews of about
21,000 individuals. Respondents were interviewed only once and reported
their activities for the 24-hour period from 4 a.m. on the day before the
interview until 4 a.m. on the day of the interview--their "diary day."
Excerpts:
?Watching TV was the leisure activity that occupied the most time,
accounting for about half of leisure time on average for both men and
women. Socializing, such as visiting with friends or attending or
hosting social events, was the next most common leisure activity,
accounting for about three-quarters of an hour per day for both
sexes.?
(. . .)
?Older persons spent a larger proportion of their leisure time than
others watching TV, reading, and relaxing/thinking. Younger persons
spent a relatively larger share of their time socializing, playing
sports, and playing games or using a computer for leisure. Reading as
a primary activity varied greatly by age. The oldest age group
averaged an hour of reading per day, while the youngest averaged about
8 minutes.?
Bureau of Labor Statistics
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm
Table 1.
Average hours per day spent in primary activities for the total
population and for persons reporting the activity on the diary day by
activity category and sex, 2003 annual averages
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.t01.htm
Table 9.
Average hours per day spent in leisure and sports activities for the
total population by selected characteristics, 2003 annual averages
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.t09.htm
===========================================
Search terms used:
How Americans spend their time
Why Americans stay home
Time use survey
Americans stay at home
I hope you find this information helpful!
Best regards,
Bobbie7 |
