Afrikaans consumers love to shop (responsibly) till they drop!

Market research shows that Afrikaans speakers reach deep into their pockets when shopping. And because they are avid readers, they love to be enticed in the "taal" to inform their spending habits.

Financially savvy and passionate about news and current affairs, they scour newspapers and online sites for information about products. Media24 publications reach 71% of the total Afrikaans market  1 573 000 dedicated print readers with an average personal monthly income of up to R22 375 and 2 002 000 online readers with an average personal monthly income of R23 041.

This market segment is highly literate, with almost 100% who have matric and more than 50% with tertiary qualifications. No wonder reading printed and digital media is their favourite way of consuming information, with newspapers topping the list. Reading text is the most favoured way of consuming news.

Newspaper readers are more frequent grocery shoppers than the population at large, and they don’t shy away from making purchases online. 75% of them have been active online shoppers since before Covid-19.

With their strong appetite for news and balanced analysis of current affairs, it only makes sense that Afrikaans consumers consult newspaper advertisements when shopping. Newspapers offer effective advertising for food and groceries, furniture and home and appliances. 38% want inserts in their newspapers. 66% use inserts to help with shopping decisions. Over a third are interested in registering to receive digital inserts, while 49% check online advertising on news websites frequently to inform their purchasing choices for food and groceries, health and beauty, clothing and shoes, appliances and technology.

Most people buy groceries every week, followed by those who do bulk shopping once a month. And they prefer to pop in at shops close to their homes. However, when purchasing furniture and technological items, they are prepared to get into their cars to travel longer distances.

Besides food and groceries, Afrikaans consumers are very much interested in health and beauty items, with 47% of them consulting magazine ads for guidance, followed by apps, newspapers and news websites. In the past year, about half of Afrikaans readers bought perfume, while a third of them tried to lose weight. Clothing and shoes are also popular items on shopping lists, with 55% of Media24 readers checking ads in magazines, on mobile apps, on TV and in newspapers.

Being dedicated homemakers who love to fix things in and around the house, Afrikaans people are constantly on the lookout for furniture, appliances and DIY products. They simply love doing renovations to their homes, and they can't seem to resist jewellery and sunglasses. 87% of homeowners have gardens, and 66% of them are pet owners. And like all South Africans struggling with load shedding, solar power, generators and inverters top their shopping lists.

Newspaper ads are their primary source of information when considering buying these items, more so than TV. Why? Because readers find newspaper ads less irritating than those on the small screen! Half of these consumers are particularly interested in technology, gadgets and hobbies, and virtually all of them own smart TVs. Cell phones are the most used digital device to access digital news, in particular apps and social media, followed by computers and tablets.

Afrikaans people also love cars, with most households having one or two vehicles parked in the driveway. They service their vehicles regularly and replace tyres on time, and research shows that they prefer to pay off their cars as soon as they can.

They are also keen travellers, with 58% being passionate about weekend getaways, especially in nature. Hiking and camping are favourite activities. When not pitching tents or parking caravans, they prefer to stay over in guest houses and B&Bs, followed by hotels and lodges or game reserves. A quarter of Afrikaans consumers take holidays for five days or longer, and they regularly travel overseas, often for business.

They keep a keen eye on their finances, with most of them preferring low-cost banking, favouring transmission and saving accounts to credit cards. And they avoid debt as much as they can. This explains why they are affluent with three-quarters living in homes with gardens. Almost a third have finished paying off their bond and enjoy financial freedom. A significant 17% of them own additional properties.

Naturally, dining out is also a favourite pastime, and interestingly enough, getting a haircut is equally popular as going to church! And a substantial number of Afrikaans people do Forex trading online!

Media24 publications and online news sites like Netwerk24 offer advertisers a direct link to this well-read, informed and influential market nationwide, across boundaries of gender, age, ethnicity and income – in a beautiful language that reaches right into the heart.