9 out of 10 Belgians read publicity leaflets
9 out of 10 Belgians read publicity leaflets and spend about 20 minutes doing so. This is just one of many observations resulting from a new survey by market research agency Profacts about the impact of leaflets and free press. The survey was commissioned by BD myShopi.
“Belgian consumers are a very loyal audience when it comes to publicity leaflets,” explains Tim De Witte, CCO at BD myShopi. “92% of the Belgian population reads leaflets and 89% does so offline, by consulting paper leaflets. Amongst Principal Responsibles for Purchases (or Main Shoppers) the reading percentage is up to 94%.”
Leaflets are ever so popular
In every household, an average of 2 people read leaflets for about 20 minutes per week. What is striking is that the majority of the population is open to leaflets that go beyond their common interests or the stores they visit regularly.
Leaflets issued by supermarkts remain the number 1 when it comes to frequency: no less than 76% of the Belgian population reads these leaflets on an almost weekly basis. Leaflets about fashion, DIY, gardening & animals and computer & electronics are also frequently consulted. “In general we see that the more we need certain products, the more frequently the related leaflets are being read,” according to Tim De Witte.
Leaflets have impact
The survey by Profacts also shows that leaflets have a real impact on consumers: they are encouraged to take action. Half of the Belgian population indicates that leaflets are during the buying decision process. 3 out of 5 use leaflets to compare prices, while 7 out of 10 actively screen leaflets for specific offers and 2 out of 5 for specific product information.
Leaflets make consumers consider as well as carry out purchases. In this matter, paper and digital leaflets have proven to be complementary: paper leaflets mainly impact (offline) buying intentions, while digital leaflets mainly generate online traffic.
Tim De Witte: “Apart from their power to activate consumers, leaflets also tend to inspire. This inspirational aspect is rapidly gaining more importance, and thus our clients respond to the consumer's wish: leaflets issued by food retailers contain a growing number of recipes, while leaflets filled with interior products also offer a lot of lifestyle tips. It's not just about showing off your products, but about offering context to consumers.”
Did you know that…
- 1 out of 3 Belgians reads paper leaflets only?
- digital leaflets are becoming increasingly important? More than half of the population reads both paper and digital.
- only 3% reads digital leaflets exclusively?
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more than 8 out of 10 Belgians use leaflets to draft their grocery list?
Alternatives in consumer activation
Apart from publicity leaflets there are a number of successful alternatives for consumer activation: a product sample is seen as an original, surprising and striking medium, while coupons that offer discounts are an excellent way to activate consumers.
Did you know that…
- 7 out of 10 Belgians used at least one coupon in the past 3 months? Coupons from leaflets are the type of coupon that are most likely to be used in store.
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86% like being surprised by a product sample in their mailbox?
About the survey
These results are issued by an online survey, commissioned by BD myShopi and conducted by market research agency Profacts in March 2018. The sample contains 1006 Belgian adults and is representative for the Belgian population in terms of gender, age, profession and geographic distribution.