Nielsen Finds Asian Shopaholics

The world's keenest recreational shoppers are to be found in Asia, according to ACNielsen. The result comes from a recent global online survey about consumers' attitudes towards shopping.

A survey conducted among 22,000 Internet users in 42 markets has revealed that 74% of the world's consumers admit to shopping as 'a form of entertainment', when they do not actually need anything.

In Singapore, where shopping is touted to be one of the national pastimes among locals, nine out of 10 respondents claimed to go shopping as a form of entertainment, even indulging in it up to twice weekly or more often (7%), while others do so to a lesser extent. While some make it a weekly ritual (22%), others do it once a month (32%), or less frequently (29%).

In terms of the proportion of people shopping at least once a week simply to occupy their time, seven of the top 10 markets are in Asia. Hong Kongers, Thais and Singaporeans rank highest in the world for shopping twice a week for 'entertainment' - no surprise then, that these cities have embraced retail therapy as part of their culture.

'Shopping has become a national pastime in many Asian countries and is so entrenched in the lifestyles of Thais, Hong Kongers and Singaporeans, that governments have wisely turned this national characteristic into a major tourism attraction,' according to Ashok Charan, MD of ACNielsen Research Singapore. 'In many more developed parts of Asia such as Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore - shopping malls are entertainment destinations incorporating cinemas, restaurants, food courts and additional sports and entertainment facilities to suit all budgets.'

Russians, Japanese, Hungarians and Swedes say they find clothes shopping 'therapeutic', according to the survey. In Singapore, while slightly over a quarter (26%) of locals find therapy in shopping for fashion apparel, more than one in 10 (12%) said that it is their favourite pastime!

The booming economies of India and China are embracing clothes shopping with
unbridled enthusiasm. A third of Chinese consumers and one fifth of Indians say clothes
shopping is their favourite thing to do.

The ACNielsen Online Consumer Confidence Survey aims to gauge consumers' current confidence levels, spending habits/intentions and current major concerns. The most recent wave of the survey took place in November 2005 and polled over 23,500 consumers - regular Internet users - in 42 markets: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The company is online at www.acnielsen.com .

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

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