In welcome news for the country’s biggest printers Roy Morgan has released new research that shows printed catalogues remain the most popular source of information for consumers in the grocery and alcohol markets.
According to the survey, 45 per cent of Australians regard catalogues as the most useful medium for purchasing groceries, compared to 28 per cent for the internet. Catalogues are proved to be the third most popular source of consumer information overall for 56 per cent of participants, after total internet for 80 per cent and internet search engines for 70 per cent.
Michelle Levin, CEO for Roy Morgan says, “In Australia’s huge $103bn grocery market which this week welcomed German supermarket giant Kaufland, Australians continue to regard catalogues (45 per cent) as the Media Most Useful for information well ahead of the Internet (28 per cent) and all other media categories. The closely related $15bn alcohol market is also dominated by catalogues (39 per cent) compared to the internet (30 per cent) as the media most useful.
“Catalogues are rated highly by consumers for information about selecting children’s wear, purchasing toys, selecting clothing and fashion, purchasing cosmetics and toiletries, purchasing small electrical appliances and purchasing large kitchen/laundry appliances whilst many consumers turn to magazines for information on Home improvements and renovations, Home interiors and furnishings and Health and fitness products and consumers turn to newspapers for information on new and used motor vehicles, real estate, employment and jobs and entertainment services.”
[Related: PMP: Catalogues are our future]
The last Roy Morgan magazine readership results reveal that close to four million consumers read Coles Magazine and 3.8 million read Woolworth’s Fresh. After the internet, catalogues are the top media used for information for many categories, with 33 per cent of consumers using them for children’s wear, 32 per cent for toys and 30 per cent for both clothing, and cosmetics and toiletries.
Michelle Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan, says, “The internet looms large as the pre-eminent advertising channel with close to 50 per cent of all Australia’s $15bn plus advertising spend now online, and $3.5bn of ad spend via internet search alone (approximately 46 per cent of all online spend) with the balance of internet spending via internet display advertising and online classifieds.
“However although the internet enjoys clear advantages in some product categories including travel and accommodation, restaurants, cars and insurance, there are large consumer markets in which consumers turn to other channels for information.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter