Analysis Kantar, a company specializing in data research and analysis in Mauritius, not only supports companies and institutions in their marketing and communications strategies, but also reveals trends – developments that speak volumes about our society! Analysis Kantar co-CEO, Nathalie Job, takes stock. Eugénie Sauzier-de Rosnay
What exactly do your studies involve?
We carry out specific, tailor-made studies, based on concrete data, for our clients. We also carry out societal and socio-economic studies on our own initiative on a variety of themes, to enlighten institutions and companies on broader issues that also have an impact on their activities: consumer confidence in Mauritius, supermarket and shopping center footfall, traditional and online media audiences…
We also carry out societal studies, on subjects that make sense in relation to current issues: Gen Z, food, expectations at work, responsible consumption… These enable us to identify societal trends or “weak signals”. For example, our “Connected Life”, “Essence” and “Future Life” studies (published during the Covid period) provide our customers with the information they need to make the best decisions, while staying in touch with the expectations of the public and our environment.
What are the main changes in consumer behavior in Mauritius?
We can see a dichotomous pattern of consumption: on the one hand, rationalized consumption to cope with inflationary pressures, and on the other, consumption for pleasure (mainly fast-food). Rationalization does not have the same consequences for everyone: for the most vulnerable, it often translates into a decline in food quality and nutritional value.
It can sometimes have a positive aspect, particularly for Made in Moris products – especially after Covid – or for more affluent consumers who will voluntarily reduce their consumption of meat, for example, or processed products. But this latter segment remains in the minority. These two trends are not positive for the most vulnerable segments, except for those who have access to land and could benefit from a vegetable garden. For the rest, the figures from national nutrition studies are clear: the Mauritian’s plate does not plead for his health!
What are the most striking differences in the buying habits of different generations and their expectations of brands?
Context, life stage and environment influence their behaviors and needs: millennials are still the ones who “run the store”, they work a lot and have to reconcile their family obligations with their work, often looking for easy solutions to achieve this. Gen Zers are still, for many, in the family fold, with, for the most part, few family responsibilities. They are focused on their lives (social, health, mental health…) and this strongly influences their behavior and consumption. Although they have their differences, these two generations often advocate the same values: transparency and honesty. The challenge for companies today – and tomorrow – remains to offer quality, responsible and accessible products, whether local or imported.
Analysis Kantar
Listening to Our Society
A company specialising in data research and analysis in Mauritius, Analysis Kantar does not just support businesses and institutions with their marketing and communications strategy, but also reveals certain trends-developments that speak volumes about our society! We catch up with Nathalie Job, co-CEO of Analysis Kantar.
What exactly do your studies involve?
We carry out specific, bespoke studies based on concrete data for our clients. We also conduct societal and socio-economic studies on our own initiative on various themes to inform institutions and businesses about broader issues that also impact their activities: Mauritian consumer confidence, supermarket and shopping center footfall, traditional and online media audiences…
We also conduct societal studies on topics that are relevant to current issues: Gen Z, food, workplace expectations, responsible consumption… These enable us to identify societal trends or even ‘weak signals’. Our ‘Connected Life’, ‘Essence’, and ‘Future Life’ studies (the latter was published during the Covid period) are examples of this: they inform our customers and enable them to make the best decisions whilst staying in touch with public expectations and our environment.
What are the main developments you are observing in consumer behaviour in Mauritius?
We are seeing dichotomous consumption: on one hand, rationalised consumption to cope with inflationary pressures and, on the other hand, indulgent pleasure consumption (primarily fast food). Rationalisation does not have the same consequences for everyone: for the most vulnerable, it often translates into lower quality food products with reduced nutritional value.
It can sometimes have a positive aspect, particularly for Made in Moris products-especially after Covid-or for more affluent consumers who will voluntarily reduce their meat consumption, for example, or processed foods. But this latter segment remains a minority. These two trends are not positive for the most vulnerable segments, except for those who have access to land and could benefit from a vegetable garden. For the others, the figures from national nutrition studies are clear: the Mauritian diet does not support good health!
What are the most striking differences in purchasing behaviour across different generations and their expectations of brands?
Context, life stage and environment influence their behaviour and needs: millennials remain those who ‘keep the shop running’, they work hard and must balance their family obligations with their work, often seeking convenient solutions to manage it all. Gen Z are still, for many, within the family fold, with most having few family responsibilities. They are focused on their own lives (social life, health, mental health…) and this strongly influences their behaviour and consumption. Whilst they have their differences, these two generations often champion the same values: transparency and honesty. The challenge today-and tomorrow-remains, for businesses, to offer quality, responsible and accessible products, whether they are local or imported products.