Waving, not drowning?

James Turner, Founder & CEO

The pandemic forced us to reassess our routines, but has it really affected our behaviours?

From the offset, COVID-19 largely turned our day to day lives upside down. For the majority of people in the UK it’s been a struggle to right ourselves, to adjust to the changing rules of social distanced living. Lockdown effectively capsized our dinghies and since then we’ve been floating in a sea of restrictions, confusing messages and curfews. Our white paper series has charted the course of the UK consumer through the year.

The past few months have been devastating for many. And yet, even in the very first weeks of quarantine, we seemed determined as a nation to prove that the coronavirus would not sink our spirit.

In fact, although we feel the news is full of ‘doom and gloom’, we’re mostly content with our lives and remain optimistic about the future. Our research shows that 6 in 10 people say that the events of 2020 have made them “grateful for what I have, rather than worrying about what I don’t have”. And throughout the pandemic, more than 5 times as many people agree “I’m generally happy with myself, as a person” than disagree.

It appears that even through the toughest times, we will try to find ways to stay happy. At the peak of the first wave of cases, more than half of our respondents said they were happy the previous day. And since the peak, there’s been a small increase (1-2%) every month. 

So, while we still face the prospect of radical changes in our normal lives, it’s interesting that we’re not seeing the same radical change in attitude and behaviours. Throughout this period of upheaval, almost three-quarters of people are not reporting any change in their outlook or actions.

Even though we’ve faced changes to the mechanics of our daily lives, this has only proved to fortify our personal bonds. 76% of people say that they have (or will) be more likely to take time to strengthen their relationships with friends and family. Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder?

Our political outlook is less likely to have changed, however. Despite our keen interest in news coverage this year and a reduction in trust in the Government, we have seen just a small change in how we view the key issues. We’re more likely to focus on areas that personally impact us.

Areas like healthcare for example. Half of those who have a family member who contracted COVID say they are worried about equal access to healthcare. But this concern drops by 20% for people who have not had a family member impacted by the virus.

Public opinion may be divided about the necessity of restrictions and their impact on our personal freedoms. As we report in our latest white paper [which you can download here], we are seeing new consumer tribes forming in the wake of the Government’s attempts to navigate a second wave.

And while it’s still vitally important for brands to pay full attention to how COVID and its measures rapidly impact consumer opinion, it’s a positive sign that our own self-image hasn’t really changed at all. 

At least, that’s how it is for now. But we could still face stormy seas ahead with this pandemic. Will we still be as stalwart if we’re capsized by a second wave?