Populus Adds Mobile-Only Quota

UK-based research and consulting firm Populus has added mobile-only households to the sample for its telephone-only omnibus.

Populus says that regulator Ofcom estimates mobile-only households now make up around 15% of the UK population, adding that it has been testing the new approach over a number of months with selected clients.

The company uses its own dedicated UK-based call centre operated by sister company Populus Data Solutions to survey 1,000 households each week. It will now quota to interview 50% of its respondents via mobile and 50% via landline, and to deliver 150 interviews with mobile only-households. Results will be weighted to reflect the precise proportion of mobile-only households as revealed in the latest Ofcom figures.

Head of Omnibus Chris Menzies has led development of the new approach, and comments: 'The 50% landline, 50% mobile approach allows us to contact mobile only households but also delivers significant improvements in hard-to-reach quotas, for example 18-24s.'

Populus MD Michael Simmonds says the firm's telephone omnibus is now at the forefront of the industry, and comments: 'Telephone research makes a significant contribution to sales at Populus and has an important role to play as a reliable way of providing clients with nationally representative samples. At a time when many market research call centres are closing around the UK, and many predict the end of telephone based research altogether, Populus's telephone work continues to grow.'

Web site: www.populus.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.