The first study, published in October, focused on the economic impact of the pandemic. This second part is devoted to women's health, to the immediate impact of the health crisis on their physical and mental well-being but also to its longer-term effects.

Women's physical and mental health has suffered. They have struggled to access adequate health care; women with chronic illnesses - such as cancer or diabetes - have fallen behind in their treatment. And it is women living alone or on low incomes who have proved to be the most vulnerable (...), according to report produced by AXA "Hidden costs".

Key elements:

Overall, women's health has deteriorated during the crisis - the biggest deterioration has been in Europe, where the pandemic has hit hardest. All aspects of women's health have been affected: physical, mental and social. More than two out of three women feel anxious or worried; more than half report sleep disturbances.
During the crisis, many women had difficulty accessing health care - for financial reasons, lack of availability or fear of contracting the virus.
Among women with chronic illnesses, 60% had to postpone their treatment. 40% were unable to see their doctor for regular follow-up visits. Lack of access to routine health care could have long-term consequences on women's health.
Women are putting the health of others ahead of their own more than before the pandemic. Despite this, the women interviewed also found more time to take care of themselves by making the effort, for example, to cook healthier meals for themselves and their families.
With the pandemic far from over, women feel more vulnerable to threats to their health. More than half fear isolation or deterioration of their mental health. To help them manage these risks, women expect faster and easier access to health care for themselves and other family members in the future.

(Ipsos)

November 20, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en/covid-19-long-term-threat-womens-physical-and-mental-health

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(India)

Print Remains Most Important News Source For Indian Readers: CVoter Survey

In the age of digital consumption, print remains "the most credible medium" for readers in India. That's according to the recent CVoter Media Consumption Survey 2020. The survey, which polled 5,000 respondents about their consumption habits, found that audiences attribute higher credibility to stories published in print media compared to television content — which has been perceived as "superficial." (CVoter India)

November 23, 2020

(Japan)

Japan sentiment toward China worsens for 1st time in 4 years

Negative sentiment among Japanese toward China marked its first deterioration in four years with nearly 90 percent of voters polled in a survey responding that they have an unfavorable impression of the Asian superpower. The Japan-China opinion poll, released Nov. 17 by Japanese nonprofit think tank Genron NPO, also found that more Chinese view the bilateral relationship as important, reflecting the impact of heightened U.S.-China tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic. (The Asahi Shimbun)

November 18, 2020

(Sinagpore)

In spite of scrapped plans, one in seven Singaporeans are keen on a ‘flight to nowhere’

The pandemic has hit the global economy hard, but no industry was hit harder than the travel industry. With planes grounded for the foreseeable future, Singapore Airlines launched it’s ‘Inside Singapore Airlines’ experience. Latest YouGov data reveals what Singaporeans think about their national carrier and their latest offering of unique experiences. (YouGov)

November 20, 2020

(Hong Kong)

Google remains Hong Kong’s healthiest brand according to YouGov Best Brands 2020

Google has topped YouGov Best Brands list for the second year in a row, on YouGov’s annual ranking of the healthiest brands in the nation. The rankings are based on the Index score from YouGov BrandIndex, which constantly measures overall brand health. The score takes into account consumers’ perception of a brand’s overall quality, value, impression, reputation, satisfaction and whether consumers would recommend the brand to others. (YouGov)

November 18, 2020

MENA

(Sudan)

Do urban Arabs support gender equality to a greater extent than rural Arabs do?

Traditional perceptions of gender roles continue to constrain women’s autonomy in household decision-making. Data from the Arab Barometer’s fifth wave of surveys show that 60 percent of Arabs agree or strongly agree with the following statement, “Husbands should have final say in all decisions concerning the family”. The proportions of citizens who agree with husbands having final say, vary by country. Approval is highest in Sudan and Algeria (74 and 71 percent, respectively), while somewhat lower in Lebanon and Morocco (50 and 46 percent, respectively). (Arab Barometer)

November 23, 2020

EUROPE

(Italy)

Italians and savings, between uncertainty and future plans

Italians are very prone to saving. In 2020, most people who have had any form of monetary income (including subsidies, pensions, etc.) have set themselves the goal of saving (76%).

The value of savings is also felt by those who are unable to save: in fact, those who have not done so mainly indicate the impossibility due to reduced earnings (51%) rather than the lack of perception of its usefulness (for 3% of those who do not, saving does not make sense). (YouGov)

November 18, 2020

(Germany)

German consumers like Adidas again

In a YouGov ranking of the world's best brands, several German brands make it into the top 25, including Adidas, although the brand in Germany suffered severe damage to its image due to the pandemic. The world's best German brand is Nivea. This is shown by the YouGov 2020 Global Best Brand Ranking. The ranking is based on the YouGov BrandIndex index score and considers the image of several thousand brands in 33 markets. (YouGov)

November 23, 2020

(France)

Health Barometer # 1 - YouGov x 20 Minutes x Doctissimo

Overall, almost all French people say they have complied with the rules related to confinement (92%). In detail, the youngest say they have slightly less respected the rules than their elders. Over the next two weeks, the trend will be the same according to our survey. In fact, 9 out of 10 French people expect to respect these rules (90%). Note, the youngest still stand out with once again a slight dropout compared to their elders. With regard to preventive measures, almost all French people say they respect them and even 56% apply them rigorously. (YouGov)

November 24, 2020

(UK)

Are workers with jobs disrupted by COVID-19 willing to retrain?

The government has faced criticism recently for suggesting that people in the arts sector who cannot currently work because of coronavirus should consider finding a new career. But how willing are people to take a new direction in their professional lives? YouGov data reveals that coronavirus is currently impacting one in seven (13%) workers’ employment status, either because they are furloughed, experiencing a reduction in pay or hours, or have lost their job. (YouGov)

November 17, 2020

Four in ten gamers say they’ve played more during COVID-19

More than four in ten UK gamers say they’ve been gaming more during the COVID-19 outbreak (43%), while a further four in ten have been gaming about the same (42%). Just 8% say they’re playing less, a new YouGov white paper reveals. Additionally a quarter of gamers say that once the pandemic is over, gaming will be “stronger and more relevant than ever before” (24%). (YouGov)

November 18, 2020

Two in three NHS workers say lack of COVID tests have caused staff shortages

The latest YouGov polling of NHS workers – undertaken before the second national lockdown was announced – finds that nearly two thirds (64%) say their workplace has been affected by staff shortages because of lacking access to coronavirus tests. The figures include one in nine (11%) who report being affected to a great extent, one in three to some extent (29%) and a quarter to a small extent (24%). One in five (19%) have not experienced any shortages. (YouGov)

November 20, 2020

NORTH AMERICA

U.S. Support for Death Penalty Holds Above Majority Level

Americans' support for the death penalty continues to be lower than at any point in nearly five decades. For a fourth consecutive year, fewer than six in 10 Americans (55%) are in favor of the death penalty for convicted murderers. Death penalty support has not been lower since 1972, when 50% were in favor. 55% of Americans in 2020 are in favor of and 43% opposed to the death penalty for persons convicted of murder. (Gallup USA)

November 19, 2020

62% in U.S. Say Lives Not Yet Back to Pre-COVID Normalcy

As COVID-19 cases were surging again across the U.S. last month, more than six in 10 Americans said their lives had not returned to pre-pandemic normalcy. Overall, 62% of Americans surveyed Oct. 19-Nov. 1 said their life right now is "not yet back to normal," while 34% said theirs is "somewhat back to normal" and 3% said "completely" so. Among a host of key demographic subgroups, Republicans are the most likely to say their lives have somewhat (59%) or completely (8%) gotten back to what they were before COVID-19. (Gallup USA)

November 18, 2020

More Americans Now Willing to Get COVID-19 Vaccine

Americans' willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 rebounded a bit in October, as seen in Gallup polling conducted before Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna made promising announcements about the likely effectiveness of their coronavirus vaccines. Fifty-eight percent of Americans in the latest poll say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine, up from a low of 50% in September. (Gallup USA)

November 17, 2020

Sharp Divisions on Vote Counts, as Biden Gets High Marks for His Post-Election Conduct

More than two weeks after the presidential election, there are sharp divisions between voters who supported Joe Biden and Donald Trump over nearly all aspects of the election and voting process, including whether their own votes were counted accurately. Trump voters, who already were skeptical of the electoral process and prospects for an accurate vote count before the election in October, have become much more so since Biden’s victory. (PEW)

November 20, 2020

AUSTRALIA

Banks show greatest improvement in YouGov Australia’s Best Brands list

Google has topped YouGov Best Brands list for the third year in a row, on YouGov’s annual ranking of the healthiest brands in the nation. The rankings are based on the Index score from YouGov BrandIndex, which constantly measures overall brand health. The score takes into account consumers’ perception of a brand’s overall quality, value, impression, reputation, satisfaction and whether consumers would recommend the brand to others. (YouGov)

November 18, 2020

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

The pandemic accelerates the decline of cash globally

A YouGov survey of 21 countries across four continents suggests that the coronavirus pandemic has made many people limit their use of cash in favour of electronic payments. The data finds that Thailand has seen the largest decline in cash use. Over half (57%) of the population has used coins and notes less often in the wake of COVID-19, while one in six (16%) report they have used cash more frequently. Only 11% of Thai people say they mostly didn’t use cash before the pandemic and still don’t. (YouGov)

November 16, 2020

Covid-19, a long-term threat to women's physical and mental health

Worldwide, more than 50 million people have contracted Covid-19. But the health cost to women goes far beyond the virus itself. AXA and Ipsos today reveal the results of a second study conducted among women on the impact of Covid-19. The first study, published in October, focused on the economic impact of the pandemic. This second part is devoted to women's health, to the immediate impact of the health crisis on their physical and mental well-being but also to its longer-term effects. (Ipsos)

November 20, 2020

Majorities in the European Union Have Favorable Views of the Bloc

Outside of China, Europe was home to some of the first major coronavirus hotspots – as well as some of the most stringent early national quarantine requirements to curb the spread. Results of a summer survey – conducted before a second surge in cases began, in earnest, in September – indicate that people in most European Union nations approved not only of their national governments’ response to COVID-19, but also of how the EU had handled the outbreak. (PEW)

November 17, 2020

ASIA

665-43-01/Poll

Print Remains Most Important News Source For Indian Readers: CVoter Survey

In the age of digital consumption, print remains "the most credible medium" for readers in India. That's according to the recent CVoter Media Consumption Survey 2020.

The survey, which polled 5,000 respondents about their consumption habits, found that audiences attribute higher credibility to stories published in print media compared to television content — which has been perceived as "superficial."

Checking the latest updates via print media has become a more important habit for many readers in India, particularly now as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey found that readers fall back to what's safe and reliable; 63.2% of CVoter survey respondents said reading newspapers for updates — including which of the COVID-19 vaccine candidates is the most promising — have become even more important to them in the time of pandemic. Meanwhile, over 75% of the survey respondents confirmed they prefer to check the newspapers for news and current affairs rather than watch a "shouting TV news debate," with 71.2% saying they have a favorite newspaper section they read first thing every day. For many media watchers, news content on television can be "superficial and trite" given its propensity for sensationalism, frenzied debates, and biased reportage, according to the polls. CVoter noted that 72.90% said newspaper reporting "gives more information than the debate of TV news channels."
"As a content medium, TV grapples to cope with the meteoric growth of digital entertainment. The 24-hours news cycle — that's a poor transition between the old world of periodic bulletins and the advent of digital channels - is to be partly blamed for TV not enjoying the preferred channel status of Indian audiences anymore," the survey stated. Digital emerges as important content consumption platform CVoter survey aside, television is still poised to remain the world's favorite medium, according to a 2019 Medium Consumption Forecast report by Zenith Media. Mobile internet, however, will pose challenges for TV ahead — the report expects people around the world will spend an average of 930 hours, or 39 full days.
Nationally, digital is considered an "important extension of conventional news vehicles," CVoter survey found. Print and digital "offer an ideal combination of reach and credibility," and this goes beyond news reading. Particularly during the pandemic, the many readers have been turning to technology not just to check out the news, but also learn new skills and augment their reading materials on topics from politics to health and lifestyle, or even learning how to play roulette and other certain games online. A Deloitte report on "Digital media: Rise of On-demand Content" also notes how mobile devices are driving the digital consumption around the world — especially in India, where the internet user base is growing at a rapid rate. It explained: "India has the largest young population in the world which is driving the digital media consumption in India. Internet traffic in India is being driven by mobile internet users. The major reason for this will be the availability of cost efficient smartphones in India, improving 3G and 4G internet coverage and fast reducing data prices."

(CVoter India)

November 23, 2020

Source: https://www.drivespark.com/off-beat/print-remains-most-important-news-source-for-indian-readers-cvoter-survey-032891.html

665-43-02/Poll

Japan sentiment toward China worsens for 1st time in 4 years

The Japan-China opinion poll, released Nov. 17 by Japanese nonprofit think tank Genron NPO, also found that more Chinese view the bilateral relationship as important, reflecting the impact of heightened U.S.-China tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual opinion poll started in 2005. The latest survey was carried out in September and October with valid responses received from 1,000 Japanese and 1,571 Chinese.

Of Japanese respondents, 89.7 percent said they have an “unfavorable” or “somewhat unfavorable” impression of China, up 5 percentage points from a year earlier. That marks the first time Japanese sentiment toward China has worsened since 2016.

More respondents cited China’s behavior in the international arena and its military buildup as reasons in the latest survey. Rising tensions between the United States and China, as well as issues affecting Hong Kong, apparently put a damper on Japanese views toward China.

(The Asahi Shimbun)

November 18, 2020

Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13941132

665-43-03/Poll

In spite of scrapped plans, one in seven Singaporeans are keen on a ‘flight to nowhere’

Whether short-haul or long-haul flights, Singapore Airline is the preferred airlines amongst Singaporeans. For short-haul flights (flights under 3 hours), over a third (35%) picked Singapore Airlines as their preferred airline, followed by Singapore Airlines subsidiary Scoot (25%), AirAsia (12%), and JetStar (11%). When it comes to long-haul flights (flights over 7 hours), Singapore Airlines is the clear winner, with three-quarters (74%) saying it is their top choice.

As an attempt to boost grounded passenger business, Singapore Airline unveiled plans in September this year to launch a ‘flight to nowhere’ with trips that start and end at the same airport. Though the plan was eventually scrapped after criticism about the environment impact, one in seven (15%) of Singaporeans are interested in a ‘flight to nowhere’. Frequent flyers (which we termed by those who took more than five flights last year) are most likely to be interested in a flight to nowhere, compared to those who took zero flights last year (21% vs. 8%). High-income earners (household income of more than RM 8,000) are also much more likely to be keen on a flight without a destination than low-income earners (household income of less than RM 2,999).

In October 2020, Singapore Airlines announced the launch of Restaurant A380 @ Changi – a dining experience aboard a parked A380 plane at Changi Airport, with tickets selling out in thirty minutes. Although the experience was limited to two weekends and there has not been an announcement for a third sitting, one in five (20%) Singaporeans remain interested in the experience. A quarter (25%) have no opinion, and a third (33%) are uninterested.

Alongside Restaurant A380 @ Changi, Singapore Airlines also launched SIA @ Home – where business class or first class meals are delivered to the home, alongside tableware and flight amenities. Compared to the restaurant, less Singaporeans are keen on dining on airplane fare at home – only one in ten (11%) are interested in this experience. However, amongst those who profess to ‘love’ / ‘like’ airplane food (35% of the population) interest in this experience jumps to over a quarter (27%).

Rounding off the ‘Inside Singapore Airlines’ experience is a behind-the-scenes tour of the training centre, including various add-ons. Of all the add-on experience, the flight simulator is the most popular, with half (48%) interested in it. The second most popular experience is the training centre tour (33%), followed by the junior pilot experience (32%), grooming workshop (22%), wine tasting and junior cabin crew experience (both 20%). A third (33%) of Singaporeans have no interest in any of the experiences.

(YouGov)

November 20, 2020

Source: https://sg.yougov.com/en-sg/news/2020/11/20/spite-scrapped-plans-one-seven-singaporeans-are-ke/

665-43-04/Poll

Google remains Hong Kong’s healthiest brand according to YouGov Best Brands 2020

Google is not only the healthiest brand in Hong Kong (+36.1), it is also the brand with the highest Index score globally. Instant messaging platform WhatsApp hold its position in second place (+35.7). Other brands familiar to the top ten are multinational financial services provider VISA in fifth (+32.2), and Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo in sixth (+31.1) – both falling two spots from last year. Video sharing platform YouTube and luxury watchmaker Rolex hold their positions in seventh (+29.1) and eighth (+27.7) respectively.

This year’s rankings sees a number of new entrants from various industries. Public transport provider KMB comes in strong in third (+33.1), local e-commerce platform HKTVmall in fourth (+32.5), sports apparel retailer Nike in eighth (+26.9) and tech conglomerate Apple in tenth (+26.1).

YouGov BrandIndex also reveals the brands that have noted the greatest improvement to their Index score over the past 12 months in Hong Kong. Subscription video-on-demand service Netflix comes up on top with an increase in score of +7.1. Skincare brand Sebamed comes in second (up +5.6) and supermarket chain PARKnSHOP in third (up +4.8).

The improvers list is populated with brands from various industries. Healthcare chain Watsons is in fourth (up +4.5), local fast-food chain Fairwood in fifth (up +3.9), Apple in sixth (up +3.6), telecommunications provider i-CABLE in seventh (up +3.0) and insurance provider Manulife in ninth (up +2.7).

Luxury brands have also shown great improvement in this year’s list. Louis Vuitton in eighth (up +2.9) and Hermès in tenth (up +2.4).

Cindy Chan, General Manager at YouGov Greater China commented: “With businesses hit hard by the pandemic, consumers have looked to big corporations and organisation to respond accordingly. Google has done just that, committing $100 million and technical expertise to the global COVID-19 response. The brand’s efforts sees it holding its spot as Hong Kong’s healthiest brand.”

Global Rankings

Google takes the top spot in YouGov’s annual global best brands ranking. Tech brands dominate the top of the list with the search and advertising giant followed by WhatsApp, YouTube, Samsung and Amazon.

With Netflix and Facebook in sixth and seventh respectively, the only non-tech-related brands in the top ten are Singaporean ecommerce platform Shopee (eighth), Swedish retailer IKEA (ninth) and US sportswear titan Nike (tenth).

(YouGov)

November 18, 2020

Source: https://hk.yougov.com/en-hk/news/2020/11/18/google-remains-hong-kongs-healthiest-brand-accordi/

MENA

665-43-05/Poll

Do urban Arabs support gender equality to a greater extent than rural Arabs do?

Previously, I have argued that socioeconomic development and attitudes towards gender equality are positively correlated. As the economy grows, living conditions improve and education levels rise. People also experience a greater sense of human autonomy that brings demands for gender equality. However, value shifts do not occur evenly distributed in the entire society. Rather, different social groups have different values. In liberal democracies, for example, highly educated urban women have been at the forefront of the women’s rights movement. Hence, settlement type has often been used to explain variations in support for gender equality. This raises the question as to whether there is a similar rural-urban divide in the Arab World.

The evidence from the Arab world does not support this hypothesis. Instead, findings from eleven Arab countries suggest that urban Arabs do not support gender equality to a greater extent than their rural counterparts do. Only in Morocco and Iraq does a rural-urban divide exist in support on gender equality, in which urban citizens are more liberal on gender equality. In Yemen, in contrast, the urban population is even more conservative on gender equality than the rural population.

Urbanization and gender equality

Socioeconomic development has historically had important implications on patterns of human settlement. Industrialization led to large-scale migration to urban centers, creating new social classes, such as the bourgeoisie and the working-class, whose values were different to those of traditional classes, represented by landowners and peasants. Changes in the social structure were accompanied by a shift from traditional religious values to rational-secular values. As the old social hierarchy deteriorated, people were no longer subject to traditional social roles and ties, bringing demands for greater autonomy.

Simple proportions show that a slightly higher share of rural citizens agree with the husband’s privileged role in household decision-making, compared to their urban counterparts (63 versus 59 percent, respectively). Though these simple proportions show a correlation between respondents’ settlement type and support for gender equality, this analysis suggests that such a trend could be due to the effects of confounding variables like education. The uncontrolled model with settlement type as a single variable shows statistically significant coefficients for six countries. However, when controlling for education, only three countries remain statistically significant.

Two countries show a rural-urban divide similar to the one in liberal democracies. Urban Iraqis and Moroccans are – respectively 30% and 21% – less likely to agree with traditional household decision-making, compared to their rural counterparts. In Yemen, in contrast, the relationship goes into the opposite direction. Urban Yemenites are 40% more likely to agree with the husband’s privileged role. Given these results, urban centers in some Arab countries are more liberal on gender equality due to the higher concentration of highly educated people in those areas.

Further explanations

These findings suggest that there is no rural-urban divide on gender equality in most Arab countries. One explanation for these findings may have to do with the different types of urbanization. In most western countries, urbanization was the byproduct of industrialization. In the Middle East, in contrast, urbanization started before the advent of industrialization, when society was still predominantly agrarian. As a result, cities were rather administrative, cultural and commercial centers. Without the social transformation triggered by industrialization, people kept their interwoven network and social ties from traditional society.

However, Arab economies have grown dramatically in the recent decades, so one should see a rural-urban divide on gender equality in the next decades if the underlying mechanism is valid outside a Western context. For example, different levels of socioeconomic development might explain why the relationship goes into the diametrically opposed direction in Yemen, being one of the poorest countries in the world. Further research is required to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic development, different types of urbanization, and their impact on gender values.

(Arab Barometer)

November 23, 2020

Source: https://www.arabbarometer.org/2020/11/do-urban-arabs-support-gender-equality-to-a-greater-extent-than-rural-arabs-do/

EUROPE

665-43-06/Poll

Italians and savings, between uncertainty and future plans

Italians are very prone to saving. In 2020, most people who have had any form of monetary income (including subsidies, pensions, etc.) have set themselves the goal of saving (76%).

The value of savings is also felt by those who are unable to save: in fact, those who have not done so mainly indicate the impossibility due to reduced earnings (51%) rather than the lack of perception of its usefulness (for 3% of those who do not, saving does not make sense).

While nearly a quarter of savers don't have a strategy, putting aside what's left of what they earn after making all the necessary expenses (23%), most people have a personal way to save.

Almost half (48%) regularly check their balance and keep track of expenses . Others, on the other hand, impose more concrete limitations, such as monthly budgets to be followed (35%), or the transfer of the sums to be saved to a different account .

The trend for 2021 is even more upward due to the uncertain period

In fact, if a third of those who have already saved this year (33%) intend to continue next year , more than half (56%) want to save even more .

Even among those who did not want to or could not in 2020, over a third (35%) plan to start saving next year .

Having an emergency fund is the number one reason to save next year (45%), and the pandemic plays a big part in that. More than one in three people (34%) feel they have to save to be ready for the eventuality of changes in their employment status (such as job loss, but also reduced hours, or layoffs) or in general for lockdowns and due closures at Covid-19.

Those just mentioned are the first three most cited reasons in order of importance; but the uncertainty of the current period is not the only incentive for saving. In addition to the more traditional reasons, such as children (30%) or large expenses (eg for the home, 26%, or car - 13%), one in five, despite the restrictions of current movements, plan on saving for view of the possibility of starting to travel again in the future (19%).

Almost a quarter of Italians save without a specific reason (24%).

What do Italians do to save? The first strategy is to limit food waste , mentioned by 58%, along with the renunciation of take-away food / eating out indicated by 41%. On a par with the balances , expected by many before buying the products they need (57%). Not a few, on the other hand, completely renounce and reduce the frequency of purchase of certain products (45%) or services (31%).

(YouGov)

November 18, 2020

Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2020/11/18/risparmio/

665-43-07/Poll

German consumers like Adidas again

In a YouGov ranking of the world's best brands, several German brands make it into the top 25, including Adidas, although the brand in Germany suffered severe damage to its image due to the pandemic.

The world's best German brand is Nivea . This is shown by the YouGov 2020 Global Best Brand Ranking. The ranking is based on the YouGov BrandIndex index score and considers the image of several thousand brands in 33 markets. In around eight million online interviews, consumers answered questions about quality, customer satisfaction, value for money and other image-relevant dimensions. At the top: global digital brands such as Google , WhatsApp, Youtube and Samsung , followed by Amazon , Netflix and Facebook . In addition to Nivea, there are also German brandsRossmann , Mercedes and Adidas represented in the top 25.

NIKE AND DECATHLON STRONGER INTERNATIONALLY

While the online and e-commerce companies at the top were strengthened by the pandemic, Adidas lost points due to the corona. We collected the data from October 2019 to September 2020 and in the middle of this period Adidas caused negative headlines because the company decided during the uncertainty at the beginning of the crisis not to pay rents for forcibly closed shops or to want to pay hours. We analyzed the loss of image measured in our brand monitor BrandIndex in more detail in mid-April. A few days later, our score for Adidas hit its low point: 24 points (on a scale from 100 to -100) below the value on April 24th. At the beginning of March the value was 39.

For several months, the reputation of Adidas from the perspective of German consumers was comparable to that of Nike . The gap to Puma was now only a few points. Usually Adidas is many points ahead of the competition in Germany , although the Global Best Brand Ranking clearly shows how much the Nike brand is internationally stronger: The US sporting goods manufacturer is in 10th place, Adidas in 25th place. Decathlon is in between (21st place).

BUYING INTEREST SUFFERED TOO

Most of the Adidas customers do not feel bound to the brand. A target group analysis with YouGov Profiles shows that Puma is an option for almost a third of Adidas customers . Almost half can imagine buying Nike products. On the other hand, Profiles data also suggests that Adidas customers are picky. 61 percent of them say they prefer to buy certain brands - compared to just 42 percent of the general population. Whoever wears Adidas says they are asked more often for advice when it comes to clothing.

This is likely to have contributed to the fact that, in parallel to the general impression of the brand, the willingness to recommend, measured in the BrandIndex, fell sharply in March and April. Recently, however, this score has also returned to a normal level. Adidas can therefore hope to gain a few points in the next Global Best Brand Ranking.

(YouGov)

November 23, 2020

Source: https://yougov.de/news/2020/11/23/die-deutschen-verbraucher-mogen-adidas-wieder/

665-43-08/Poll

Health Barometer # 1 - YouGov x 20 Minutes x Doctissimo

Overall, almost all French people say they have complied with the rules related to confinement (92%). In detail, the youngest say they have slightly less respected the rules than their elders. Over the next two weeks, the trend will be the same according to our survey. In fact, 9 out of 10 French people expect to respect these rules (90%). Note, the youngest still stand out with once again a slight dropout compared to their elders. With regard to preventive measures, almost all French people say they respect them and even 56% apply them rigorously.In detail, the French say they respect in mind the fact of banning festive gatherings (95%), the fact of washing hands (94%) or the fact of greeting without shaking hands and stopping hugs. (93%). Once again, compliance with these measures seems more difficult for the youngest.

The level of knowledge of the French with regard to COVID-19

A little more than 6 out of 10 French people still consider a "good" level of knowledge regarding the COVID-19 virus (61% vs. 5% finding it on the contrary "bad"). It should be noted that 34% believe they have a level of knowledge "neither good nor bad". In addition, the level of knowledge relating to the means to protect oneself is significantly higher (82%). We always note a slight dropout of the youngest. Despite everything, more than half of French people are looking for information about the virus and how to protect themselves from it (52%).

The habits of the French during this period

One in two French people say they pay more attention to their diet in order to protect themselves from possible contamination (50%) but less than half of French people say they have practiced regular physical activity over the past two weeks. Finally, more than half of French people say that the current context has a negative impact on their morale (52%).

Note that nearly one in five French people say they avoid or have even canceled one or more medical appointments for fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus (19%).

The “Tous Anti-Covid” application, a modest success

Less than one in three French people say they have downloaded the “Tous Anti-Covid” application (30%). We note that a little more than half of them only use it to generate a certificate. In detail, 8% of these users reported a contact case and 6% say they have been reported a contact case.

The French and the arrival of a vaccine against COVID-19

Only 34% of French people say they would get vaccinated as soon as possible if a vaccine were to be put on the market soon. Of those who do not want to do it as soon as possible, 36% still consider doing it after several months. Note all the same that a quarter of the French population says it is refractory to this vaccine. In fact, less than half of French people believe that it should be made compulsory (47%).

(YouGov)

November 24, 2020

Source: https://fr.yougov.com/news/2020/11/24/barometre-de-la-sante-20-minutes-doctissimo/

665-43-09/Poll

Are workers with jobs disrupted by COVID-19 willing to retrain?

Britons tend to think the government should focus on supporting struggling industries rather than encouraging workers to find new careers

The government has faced criticism recently for suggesting that people in the arts sector who cannot currently work because of coronavirus should consider finding a new career.

But how willing are people to take a new direction in their professional lives? YouGov data reveals that coronavirus is currently impacting one in seven (13%) workers’ employment status, either because they are furloughed, experiencing a reduction in pay or hours, or have lost their job.

Of these workers, a quarter (26%) say they are likely to retrain in another sector in the near future.

As part of their attempt to help people into new careers, the government launched a new retraining quiz to allow workers to see what kinds of work they might enjoy. We asked Britons about 11 lines of work that have been reported as experiencing shortages, as well as some of those which appear in the Shortage Occupation List 2020, and asked whether they would consider working in each.

Overall the most popular jobs are IT and software development (30% would consider this), cyber security, manufacturing and teaching (each with 29%).

The least popular jobs are in construction, which only 13% would consider, and food production (16%).

This is replicated when looking specifically at those who would be likely to retrain in the near future. IT and software development and cyber security are again most popular (48% and 47% respectively), whilst potential retrainees would be least likely to consider a job in construction (22%) and food production (26%).

Despite the criticism in some quarters about the government’s stance that workers should retrain, a clear majority (81%) acknowledge that it is not possible for the government to save every job during the coronavirus crisis.

That being said, half of Britons (48%) tend to think that people working in sectors impacted by coronavirus should be supported in their present jobs so that they can return to them when things go back to normal. Just over a third (37%) think they should instead be helped with retraining to find alternative jobs.

When it comes to actually supporting people to retrain, however, most Britons (55%) think the government is not doing as much as it should be to help people improve their skills or find new jobs.

In terms of what they think the government could do on retraining that would help most, almost two thirds (63%) think offering small businesses financial incentives to take on apprentices would be effective, whilst just over half (54%) think the same of the postponed Job Support. A similar proportion (53%) think government proposals to offer English adults without A-levels a fully funded college course would be effective in boosting retraining.

(YouGov)

November 17, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2020/11/17/workers-retrain-covid

665-43-10/Poll

Four in ten gamers say they’ve played more during COVID-19

Additionally a quarter of gamers say that once the pandemic is over, gaming will be “stronger and more relevant than ever before” (24%).

The data comes from YouGov’s Gaming and esports: The Next Generation white paper, which provides an analysis of the global video games and esports landscape across 24 markets.

UK gamers make up over two thirds of the population (67%); six in ten of this group say they play mobile games (52%); a quarter PC games (25%); and three in ten console games (28%).

Mobile gamers are the most significant consumer group worldwide, outnumbering console and PC gamers in every market, particularly in South and South East Asia. In Thailand, just 12% play on consoles compared to 78% who use a smartphone or tablet; in India, the proportion is 12% vs. 67%.

In contrast, the leading markets for console gamers as a proportion of the population are Hong Kong (32%), Spain (29%), the US (28%), the UK (28%), and Australia (27%). When it comes to new consoles, a fifth of gamers say they’re likely to buy Sony’s PlayStation 5 in the 12 months after its launch (19%) while one in ten are likely to buy Microsoft’s Xbox Series X (11%).

In the last decade game streaming has developed its own subculture online and has grown a following among British gamers. Twitch awareness among UK gamers is at 37%, while a quarter are aware of YouTube Gaming (25%) and one in six are aware of Facebook Gaming (16%).

When it comes to esports, although four in ten Brits (37%) are familiar with the industry engagement is relatively low. Just 6% of Brits are engaged with these competitions in some way. The majority of those who engage with esports are casual fans (61%) with just 5% saying they are passionately interested.

(YouGov)

November 18, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/technology/articles-reports/2020/11/18/gamers-play-more-during-covid

665-43-11/Poll

Two in three NHS workers say lack of COVID tests have caused staff shortages

Nearly nine out of ten also report normal services being disrupted and an even higher proportion are anxious about the impact on non-COVID patients

The figures include one in nine (11%) who report being affected to a great extent, one in three to some extent (29%) and a quarter to a small extent (24%). One in five (19%) have not experienced any shortages.

Nearly half (47%) of NHS employees who work with admitted patients also say that access to COVID tests has delayed the discharge of patients. This comprises 7% who report it impacting to a great extent, a quarter (26%) to some and one in seven (14%) to a small extent. Just under a quarter (23%) say there’s not been any delay to discharges, while three in ten are unsure (30%).

The data also shows that about a quarter of NHS workers (23%) have requested a coronavirus test. Of these, most say it was either very (43%) or fairly (36%) easy to get one but about a fifth said it was either very (8%) or fairly (11%) hard to access a test.

More than four out of five report disruption to normal services

Most NHS workers (86%) say the normal services their workplace offers are currently disrupted. Four out of five say they’re either somewhat (41%) or heavily hampered (41%), while another 4% say they’re not running at all.

Only a small proportion of NHS workers say the services their workplace offers haven’t been affected (5%) or are no longer disrupted (8%) by the pandemic.

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak also contributes to heightened anxiety about patients with other conditions such as cancer. Half of NHS workers (49%) say they’re very worried about how the current COVID outbreak will impact these patients, while another two in five (43%) are fairly worried.

Only 6% say they’re not very worried while the NHS workers who are not at all worried make up less than 1%.

(YouGov)

November 20, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/health/articles-reports/2020/11/20/two-three-nhs-workers-say-lack-covid-tests-have-ca

NORTH AMERICA

665-43-12/Poll

U.S. Support for Death Penalty Holds Above Majority Level

Line graph. 55% of Americans in 2020 are in favor of and 43% opposed to the death penalty for persons convicted of murder.

Gallup has asked Americans whether they are "in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder" since 1936, when 58% said they were. In all but one survey -- in 1966 -- more Americans have been in favor than opposed. The 1960s and early 1970s brought many legal challenges to the death penalty, culminating in a 1972 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated state death penalty statutes. After the high court upheld revised state death penalty laws in 1976, support for capital punishment grew, peaking at 80% in 1994, a time of heightened public concern about crime.

This year's results are based on a Sept. 30-Oct. 15 survey. Gallup occasionally asks another question to gauge death penalty support, with respondents indicating whether they believe the better punishment for murder is the death penalty or life imprisonment with no possibility of parole. In the most recent update, from 2019, Americans favored life imprisonment over the death penalty by 60% to 36%, a dramatic shift from prior years.

Many Americans are thus conflicted on the death penalty. The two Gallup trend questions indicate that about one in five Americans express theoretical support for use of the death penalty but believe life imprisonment is a better way to punish convicted murderers.

Republican Support for Death Penalty Remains High

Gallup began asking its historical death penalty trend question in its annual Crime survey beginning in 2000. During this time, there have been two notable shifts in death penalty attitudes. Between 2011 and 2016, the percentage expressing support showed a drop to 61% from 66% in the preceding decade. In the past four years, support has fallen further to an average 56%.

Both Democrats and independents show declines in their support for the death penalty, including similar drops (eight and seven percentage points, respectively) since 2016. Between the 2000-2010 and 2011-2016 time periods, Democratic support dropped more (eight points) than independent support did (three points).

Now, 39% of Democrats and 54% of independents are in favor of the death penalty.

Meanwhile, Republicans' support for the death penalty has held steady, with 79% currently supporting it, unchanged since 2016 and barely lower than the 80% registered between 2000 and 2010.

Changes in Support for the Death Penalty, by Political Party

Figures are the percentage who say they are in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder

	2000-2010	2011-2016	2017-2020	Change since 2011-2016
	%	%	%	pct. pts.
U.S. adults	66	61	56	-5
Republicans	80	79	79	0
Independents	64	61	54	-7
Democrats	55	47	39	-8
GALLUP

Demographic Trends May Lead to Further Erosion in Death Penalty Support

Changes in the U.S. population appear to be a factor in declining death penalty support in recent years. Groups that are constituting a greater share of the U.S. adult population over time -- including millennials and Generation Z, non-White adults and college graduates -- all show below-average support for the death penalty.

Over the past four years, an average of 45% of those in Generation Z (those born after 1996) have favored the death penalty, as have 51% of millennials (those born between 1980 and 1996). That compares with 57% of those in Generation X, 59% of baby boomers and 62% of those born before 1946.
Forty-six percent of non-White Americans, versus 61% of Non-Hispanic White Americans, support the death penalty.
Among college graduates, 46% favor the death penalty, compared with 60% of those without a college degree.

To be sure, demographic change does not account for all of the attitudinal shift toward the death penalty, as older generations, White adults and college nongraduates are all less supportive of the death penalty now than they were in 2016.

Changes in Support for the Death Penalty, by Generation, Race and Educational Attainment

Figures are the percentage who say they are in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder

	2000-2010	2011-2016	2017-2020	Change since 2011-2016
	%	%	%	pct. pts.
Generation
Generation Z (born 1997-2002)	n/a	n/a	45	n/a
Millennials (born 1980-1996)	61	55	51	-4
Generation X (born 1965-1979)	66	63	57	-6
Baby boomers (born 1946-1964)	67	64	59	-5
Traditionalists (born before 1946)	67	65	62	-3
Race/Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic White adults	70	67	61	-6
Non-White adults	52	46	46	0
Education
College graduates	60	53	46	-7
College nongraduates	69	65	60	-5
GALLUP

Bottom Line

Attitudes toward the death penalty have varied greatly since Gallup first polled Americans on the topic more than 80 years ago. The percentage favoring it has been as low as 42% and as high as 80%. The most recent readings are toward the lower end of the range, driven by demographic changes in the U.S. population and attitudinal evolution. If these trends continue, the percentage of U.S. adults who favor the death penalty will drop below 50% in the near future.

As public opinion has trended away from favoring the death penalty, state laws have also changed. Twenty-two states do not allow the death penalty by law, with nearly half of those having enacted their current laws in the past two decades. Three additional states -- California, Oregon and Pennsylvania -- have laws permitting the death penalty, but their governors have issued moratoriums on its use.

Consistent with partisans' preferences on the issue, most of the states that allow the death penalty are Republican-leaning, and most of those that prohibit its use are Democratic-leaning.

(Gallup USA)

November 19, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/325568/support-death-penalty-holds-above-majority-level.aspx

665-43-13/Poll

62% in U.S. Say Lives Not Yet Back to Pre-COVID Normalcy

Among a host of key demographic subgroups, Republicans are the most likely to say their lives have somewhat (59%) or completely (8%) gotten back to what they were before COVID-19. The combined 67% of Republicans feeling like life is back to normal is more than three times the rate among Democrats (21%) and more than double that among independents (32%).

Most Americans Have Yet to Return to Pre-Pandemic Normalcy

Thinking about your life before the start of the coronavirus, would you say your life right now is completely back to normal, somewhat back to normal but not completely normal, or not yet back to normal?

	U.S. adults	Republicans	Independents	Democrats
	%	%	%	%
Completely back to normal	3	8	2	1
Somewhat back to normal but not completely	34	59	30	20
Not yet back to normal	62	33	68	79
GALLUP PANEL, OCT. 19-NOV. 1, 2020

Indeed, Gallup's probability-based panel survey tracking Americans' attitudes and behaviors related to the coronavirus situation has found discrepancies in partisans' practices during the pandemic, which may explain why more Republicans say their lives have returned to normal.

The latest data find 48% of Democrats, 41% of independents and 20% of Republicans saying they have isolated themselves from people outside their household -- either "completely" or "mostly" -- in the past 24 hours. At the same time, 50% of Republicans say they have made little or no attempt to isolate themselves, compared with 23% of Democrats and 38% of independents who say the same.

Partisans Differ in Their Contact With Non-Household Members

Next, thinking about everything you've done in the past 24 hours, which of the following comes closest to describing your in-person contact with people outside your household?

	Republicans	Independents	Democrats
	%	%	%
Completely isolated	3	7	13
Mostly isolated	17	34	35
Partially isolated	29	21	30
Isolated a little	18	19	16
Made no attempt to isolate	32	19	7
GALLUP PANEL, OCT. 19-NOV 1, 2020

Democrats are twice as likely as Republicans to say they "always" practiced social distancing the previous day (53% vs. 26%, respectively). Fully one-quarter of Republicans say they "rarely" or "never" did so.

Differences in Partisans' Social Distancing Practices

Over the past 24 hours, how often have you been practicing social distancing?

	Republicans	Independents	Democrats
	%	%	%
Always	26	36	53
Very often	26	35	35
Sometimes	23	14	10
Rarely	11	7	1
Never	14	7	1
GALLUP PANEL, OCT. 19-NOV. 1, 2020

Similarly, 73% of Republicans think the better advice for people who do not have symptoms of the coronavirus and are otherwise healthy is to lead their normal lives as much as possible. However, majorities of Democrats (93%) and independents (60%) believe it is better to stay home as much as possible to avoid contracting or spreading the coronavirus.

Americans' Activities Differ Based on Degree of Normalcy They Feel

The degree of normalcy Americans feel they have in their life is directly linked to the daily activities they are participating in. That is, those who say their lives are at least somewhat back to normal are more likely than those who say their lives are not yet back to normal to have visited a grocery store, their workplace, someone else's home, their place of worship and, to a lesser extent, the gym in the past 24 hours. Those who feel life has returned to some normalcy are also twice as likely as those who do not to say they have dined at a restaurant within the past day.

Americans' Participation in Activities Based on Degree of Normalcy They Feel

Percentage who say they have visited the following places in the past 24 hours

	Completely/Somewhat back to normal	Not yet back to normal
	%	%
Grocery store	64	47
Place of work	44	32
Restaurant (dined in)	27	13
Someone else's home	26	18
Place of worship	21	5
Gym	8	4
GALLUP PANEL, OCT. 19-NOV. 1, 2020

While it is clear that there are differences between these two groups, it is not possible to tell how close the current readings are to actual pre-COVID behaviors.

Americans' Views of How Much COVID-19 Has Disrupted Their Lives Are Stable

Americans' assessment of their own return to normal, pre-pandemic life is in line with their evaluation of how much the coronavirus situation has affected their life. In all, seven in 10 U.S. adults say it has disrupted their life "a great deal" (24%) or "a fair amount" (46%). Readings on this measure have been largely stable since April 20 after hitting highs between 74% and 81% earlier in the pandemic.

Line graph. Percentages of Americans who say their own life has been affected or disrupted a great deal or a fair amount by the coronavirus situation since March 16. The latest 70% reading is similar to readings since April.

Just as Republicans are more likely than Democrats and independents to say their life is at least somewhat back to normal, so too are they more likely to say the coronavirus situation has not significantly disrupted their life. Fifty-one percent of Republicans, 81% of Democrats and 74% of independents say the pandemic has affected their life at least a fair amount.

Bottom Line

New coronavirus cases are trending sharply upward in the U.S., and a majority of Americans continue to say the situation is disrupting their lives. Few U.S. adults say life has completely returned to normal -- yet there are sizable differences across key subgroups in those experiencing a partial return to normalcy. Partisanship remains the most significant driver of the public's perceptions of the disease and their behaviors in response to it.

(Gallup USA)

November 18, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/325487/say-lives-not-yet-back-pre-covid-normalcy.aspx

665-43-14/Poll

More Americans Now Willing to Get COVID-19 Vaccine

Line graph. Americans' willingness to take a vaccine against COVID-19. 58% of Americans say the would take such a vaccine, while 42% say they would not.

These latest data come from a Gallup Panel survey conducted Oct. 19-Nov. 1, as COVID-19 infections continued to increase across the U.S. A vaccine for the disease is seen as key to returning Americans' lives to normal and allowing the lifting of restrictions that would permit a full economic recovery for the country.

The 42% of U.S. adults saying they would not get a vaccine is down from 50% in September, but still indicative of significant challenges ahead for public health and government officials in achieving mass public compliance with vaccine recommendations.

COVID-19 Vaccine Willingness Among Key Groups

Democrats currently show the largest increase in willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine, with 69% saying they would get a vaccine, compared with 53% in September. Democrats have been consistently more likely than Republicans and independents to say they would get a vaccine since Gallup first asked about the issue in July. In September, the gap between Democrats and Republicans on this issue narrowed to four percentage points, the smallest margin measured to date. This was mostly due to decreased willingness on the part of Democrats -- perhaps because of worries that a vaccine would be rushed out prior to the presidential election, without adequate clinical testing to ensure its safety.

Line graph. Americans' willingness to take a vaccine against COVID-19, by political affiliation. 69% of Democrats, 49% of Republicans and 49% of independents say they would be willing to take a vaccine protecting against the disease.

Another significant increase in willingness to get a vaccine is seen in Americans aged 45 to 64, with 49% of this group now willing to do so, up from 36% in September. However, this age group remains the least likely to say they would get a vaccine.

The latest results also show 10-point increases in willingness among women and those without a college degree.

Willingness to Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19, by Subgroup

If an FDA-approved vaccine to prevent coronavirus/COVID-19 was available right now at no cost, would you agree to be vaccinated? (% Yes)

	Sep 14-27	Oct 19-Nov 1	Change
	%	%	pct. pts.
Gender
Men	56	61	+5
Women	44	54	+10
Age
18-44	60	62	+2
45-64	36	49	+13
65+	54	63	+9
Education
No college degree	45	55	+10
College degree	60	63	+3
Party
Democrats	53	69	+16
Independents	47	49	+2
Republicans	49	49	0
Race/Ethnicity
White adults	54	61	+7
Non-White adults	40	48	+8
Region
Northeast	59	66	+7
Midwest	46	55	+9
South	43	52	+9
West	58	62	+4
GALLUP PANEL, 2020

Americans' Reasons to Not Get a COVID-19 Vaccine

In a follow-up question, 37% of Americans who would not get a vaccine say the rushed timeline for the development of the vaccine is the main reason they would not be vaccinated. Another 26% say they want to wait to confirm the vaccine is safe. Rounding out the reasons for some Americans' hesitancy are 12% saying they don't trust vaccines in general and 10% who want to wait to see how effective the vaccine will be. An additional 15% cite other reasons for not getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Included among these reasons are the politicization of the vaccine potentially comprising its safety and the view that the vaccine is not necessary.

The majority of Democrats who say they would not get a vaccine, 54%, reference concerns about rushed development. This compares with 26% of Republicans and 32% of independents who say the same.

One in five Republicans who do not plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine mention distrust of vaccines in general, a view shared by 14% of independents and 2% of Democrats.

Reasons for Choosing to Not Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19

What is the main reason that you would not agree to receive a coronavirus/COVID-19 vaccine, if one was available now?

	Concerns about rushed timeline	Want to wait to confirm it is safe	Don't trust vaccines generally	Want to wait to see how effective it is	Other reason
	%	%	%	%	%
Overall	37	26	12	10	15
Gender
Men	35	22	12	12	19
Women	38	29	12	8	12
Age
18-44	46	33	5	2	15
45-64	37	25	14	8	16
65+	32	23	14	17	14
Education
No college degree	35	22	15	12	17
College degree	41	36	7	7	10
Party
Democrats	54	30	2	4	10
Independents	32	30	14	12	11
Republicans	26	19	20	14	22
Race/Ethnicity
White adults	37	24	13	10	17
Non-White adults	37	30	11	11	12
Region
Northeast	19	25	18	17	22
Midwest	43	27	11	8	11
South	36	29	12	10	13
West	44	17	11	7	20
*Among those who say they would not be vaccinated
GALLUP PANEL, OCT. 19-NOV. 1, 2020

Bottom Line

Even before the announcements made by Pfizer and BioNTech on Nov. 9 and by Moderna on Nov. 16 about the development of highly effective vaccines for COVID-19, Americans were already more willing to get a vaccine than they were in September. The recent increase is primarily due to a jump in willingness among Democrats.

However, Americans overall are still less likely than they were earlier this year to say they'd get a COVID-19 vaccine. Four in 10 remain unwilling to get a vaccine, indicating public health officials face an uphill climb in convincing a good share of the public to do so.

A longer period of development and clinical testing may help to address three of the four most common reasons for hesitancy among those who are unwilling. However, convincing the 12% of Americans who refuse to get a COVID-19 vaccine due to a general distrust of vaccines may prove more difficult. Previous research by Franklin Templeton and Gallup has shown that ensuring that a vaccine is effective, has no side effects, and is approved and released next year (rather than in 2020) may help the CDC and state health departments to encourage more Americans to get the vaccine.

(Gallup USA)

November 17, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/325208/americans-willing-covid-vaccine.aspx

665-43-15/Poll

Sharp Divisions on Vote Counts, as Biden Gets High Marks for His Post-Election Conduct

Trump voters, who already were skeptical of the electoral process and prospects for an accurate vote count before the election in October, have become much more so since Biden’s victory. While a 59% majority of all voters say elections in the United States were run and administered well, just 21% of Trump supporters have a positive view of how elections were administered nationally. Among Biden supporters, 94% say the elections were run and administered well.

Disagreements between supporters of the winning and losing candidates over the accuracy of presidential vote counts are not unusual, but the magnitude of the differences between Trump and Biden voters is striking. While 82% of Biden supporters are very confident their own vote was counted accurately, just 35% of Trump supporters say the same.

The weeks since Biden’s victory have been marked by the Trump campaign’s frantic and thus far unsuccessful attempts to challenge the election results in several states. Voters express much more positive views of Biden’s conduct since the election than Trump’s – and 57% say the Trump campaign’s legal challenges to the voting and ballot counting process should end.

A majority of voters (62%) say Biden’s post-election conduct has been excellent or good, while just half as many (31%) give Trump positive ratings for his conduct since the election. About seven-in-ten (68%) view Trump’s conduct as only fair or poor, with a 54% majority rating it poor.

Both Biden and Trump, unsurprisingly, get largely positive ratings from their own supporters. However, about a third of Trump voters (34%) rate his conduct since the election as only fair or poor, compared with just 4% of Biden voters who give the former vice president low marks.

Still, while a majority of all voters say the Trump campaign should halt efforts to challenge the election, Trump voters are overwhelmingly supportive of these challenges: 85% say they should continue. Biden voters overwhelmingly say they should end (96% express this view).

As disputes over the election continue, the nation has been struggling with a record surge in coronavirus cases. And, as with views of the election process, Biden and Trump supporters are far apart on how to address the COVID-19 surge. Most Biden voters (66%) favor tighter restrictions on public activity in their communities. But just 16% of Trump voters say the same; more than twice as many (44%) say there should be fewer restrictions, while 40% say they should remain about the same as they are currently.

The new survey by Pew Research Center, conducted Nov. 12-17 on the nationally representative American Trends Panel among 11,818 U.S. adults, including 10,399 who say they voted in the presidential election, finds far greater agreement about the need for additional governmental assistance in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

A large majority of Americans (80%) say it is necessary for the president and Congress to pass more coronavirus aid, on top of the $2 trillion package enacted in March.

And an overwhelming majority of those who view more assistance as necessary think Congress and the president should act on it as soon as possible, rather than waiting until after the presidential inauguration in January. About two-thirds of Americans (68%) say a new aid package is necessary and that it be acted upon by the president and current Congress.

Other key findings:

Biden continues to engender more confidence on coronavirus. The survey finds only modest changes in confidence in Biden and Trump on key issues since the election. As was the case before the election, Biden draws far more public confidence than Trump to handle the public health impact of the coronavirus; 58% are very or somewhat confident in Biden, compared with 39% who express confidence in Trump. Comparable shares of Americans have confidence in Biden (52%) and Trump (53%) to make good decisions about economic policy.

Partisans diverge in views of future trajectory of nation’s economy. Views of the economy, which have been highly partisan for many years, have begun to shift following the election. While Republicans remain more positive than Democrats about current economic conditions, Democrats have become much more bullish in their views about the economy over the next year. Six-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say economic conditions will be better a year from now, compared with just 23% of Republicans and Republicans leaners. Last month, Republicans were far more likely than Democrats to say the economy would improve over the next year (65% of Republicans, 42% of Democrats).

Nearly half of voters say they voted by mail or absentee. Largely because of concerns over the pandemic, mail and absentee voting increased dramatically in 2020. Nearly half of voters (46%) say they voted by absentee or mail – including 18% who report casting ballots by mail for the first time. A 54% majority say they voted in person, with equal shares voting on Election Day or before the election.

For most voters, casting ballots was “very easy.” Despite the dramatic changes in how Americans voted this year, a sizable majority (77%) say voting in the election was very easy. These views differ only modestly among those who voted by mail or absentee, and in person before Election Day or on Election Day itself. And while Trump and Biden supporters have substantial disagreements over the accuracy of the vote count and how the elections were administered, 81% of Biden voters and 73% of Trump supporters found it very easy to vote.

(PEW)

November 20, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2020/11/20/sharp-divisions-on-vote-counts-as-biden-gets-high-marks-for-his-post-election-conduct/

AUSTRALIA

665-43-16/Poll

Banks show greatest improvement in YouGov Australia’s Best Brands list

In spite of the impact on businesses and brands alike due to the pandemic, the top six brands on the list remains unchanged from the year before. Technology conglomerate Google comes in first (+52.45) and is joined by other digital brands like online payments system PayPal in third (+46.4) and video-sharing platform YouTube in fourth (+46.9). Household hardware chain Bunnings holds its spot in second place (+50.8), supermarket chain Woolworths in fifth (+44.8) and Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota in sixth (+43.8).

This year’s brand sees three new entrants. Electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi debuts in seventh (+42.6), supermarket chain Coles in ninth (+40.5) and online pharmacy Chemist Warehouse in tenth (+40.2).

The top ten is rounded up with subscription video-on-demand service Netflix in eighth (+42.5).

YouGov BrandIndex also reveals the brands that have noted the greatest improvement to their Index score over the past 12 months in Australia. Australian multinational bank Commonwealth Bank (CBA) is the most improved brand this year, with an 8.7 increase in score. Telecommunications network Telstra comes in second (up +6.7 points).

Following the trend of Commonwealth Bank being the most improved brand, National Australia Bank (NAB) comes in the third most improver (up +6.5) and ANZ Bank in eighth (up +5.3).

The rest of the improvers list is completed by brands from various industries. Multinational tech company Amazon is in fourth (up +5.7), instant messaging platform WhatsApp in joint fifth (up +5.6) with fast-food chain KFC, sports apparel retailer Nike in sixth (up +5.5), social media giant Facebook in eighth (up +4.9) and pawnbroker Cash Converters in tenth (up +4.5).

Laura Robbie, General Manager at YouGov Australia commented: “With businesses hit hard by the pandemic, consumers have looked to big corporations and organisation to respond accordingly. Google has done just that, committing $100 million and technical expertise to the global COVID-19 response. The brand’s efforts sees it holding its spot as Australia’s healthiest brand. Financial institutions have also followed suit, providing financial relief in the form of deferring loan payments and providing loan support. This has resulted in local banks like Commonwealth Bank, National Bank of Australia and ANZ seeing great improvement in their scores this year.”

Global Rankings

(YouGov)

November 18, 2020

Source: https://au.yougov.com/news/2020/11/18/banks-show-greatest-improvement-yougov-australias-/

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

665-43-17/Poll

The pandemic accelerates the decline of cash globally

The coronavirus crisis has made people across the world think twice before paying in cash, but in many countries this is seen as a positive development

A YouGov survey of 21 countries across four continents suggests that the coronavirus pandemic has made many people limit their use of cash in favour of electronic payments.

The data finds that Thailand has seen the largest decline in cash use. Over half (57%) of the population has used coins and notes less often in the wake of COVID-19, while one in six (16%) report they have used cash more frequently. Only 11% of Thai people say they mostly didn’t use cash before the pandemic and still don’t.

Sweden has the lowest proportion of people who have used less cash during the pandemic (11%). The Scandinavian country is expected to become the first truly cashless society in 2023, and three quarters (74%) of Swedes say they mostly didn’t use cash before the pandemic and still don’t.

Britain has seen one of the largest declines in cash use because of the pandemic. Half of Britons (50%) used fewer notes and coins as a result of COVID, while 37% already mostly paid digitally. Only 8% of the public who usually pay in cash say their habits remain unchanged.

How attitudes to a cash free society differ globally

Whether the acceleration of electronic payment habits is viewed as a good or a bad thing varies greatly from country to country. In India, four in five people (79%) say that a cashless society would be positive, while one in ten (10%) think it would be negative.

Countries such as Malaysia (65%), the United Arab Emirates (63%) and Indonesia (63%) also overwhelmingly see using electronic payments exclusively as positive.

People in Spain are the most resistant to the idea of a cashless society with about half (53%) thinking it would be negative, while just over a quarter (27%) think it would be good.

Many Britons are not keen either. Close to half (47%) say it would be negative, while a quarter (26%) view going cash free positively.

Cash-light countries are more worried about ditching notes and coins

The research suggests that in many countries where cash is still a popular payment method the population is happier about moving away from it. However, in a lot of nations where the move to electronic payments has already gained momentum, people are more opposed to becoming completely cashless.

We asked how often respondents use cash for common purchases ranging from very cheap (such a pack of chewing gum) to very expensive (such as a new electronic device).

Our data shows that cash is most common in the Philippines. There, using a weighted average that puts greater emphasis on more costly purchases, three in five (60%) people mostly pay with notes and coins. But many (a net score of +24) think that if the country became completely cashless it would be positive rather than negative.

The trend is particularly similar in Thailand (48% of the population usually use cash, +31 say going cashless is positive rather than negative), Vietnam (46%, +40) and Indonesia (44%, +44).

In contrast, only 9% of Swedes tend to use cash, but people are more likely to see a truly cashless society as negative rather than positive (-26). The pattern is similar in France (19%, -34), Britain (18%, -21) and Denmark (13%, -12).

The research suggests that China is a noticeable outlier. While the population’s cash use is similar to Sweden (9%), they are more likely to see a cash free society as positive (+27).

Germany also goes against the trend. While cash use is still fairly common (41%), more people view becoming cashless negatively (-30).

(YouGov)

November 16, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/economy/articles-reports/2020/11/16/pandemic-accelerates-decline-cash-globally

665-43-18/Poll

Covid-19, a long-term threat to women's physical and mental health

Key elements:

Overall, women's health has deteriorated during the crisis - the biggest deterioration has been in Europe, where the pandemic has hit hardest. All aspects of women's health have been affected: physical, mental and social. More than two out of three women feel anxious or worried; more than half report sleep disturbances.
During the crisis, many women had difficulty accessing health care - for financial reasons, lack of availability or fear of contracting the virus.
Among women with chronic illnesses, 60% had to postpone their treatment. 40% were unable to see their doctor for regular follow-up visits. Lack of access to routine health care could have long-term consequences on women's health.
Women are putting the health of others ahead of their own more than before the pandemic. Despite this, the women interviewed also found more time to take care of themselves by making the effort, for example, to cook healthier meals for themselves and their families.
With the pandemic far from over, women feel more vulnerable to threats to their health. More than half fear isolation or deterioration of their mental health. To help them manage these risks, women expect faster and easier access to health care for themselves and other family members in the future.

(Ipsos)

November 20, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en/covid-19-long-term-threat-womens-physical-and-mental-health

665-43-19/Poll

Majorities in the European Union Have Favorable Views of the Bloc

Across the eight EU member nations surveyed between June and August 2020, a median of 61% said the EU had done a good job dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Approval was highest in Germany and the Netherlands, where 68% in each country applauded the bloc’s efforts. At least half or more in every EU country surveyed approved of the EU’s response.

The state of the pandemic in Europe during the summer 2020 survey period

On Oct. 29, the World Health Organization’s Europe director declared, “Europe is at the epicenter of this pandemic again.” His concerns came as the region reached a new weekly record for confirmed coronavirus cases (more than 1.5 million the week before his announcement); hospitalizations rose to levels unseen since the spring, when Europe had been the epicenter of the disease; and test positivity rates once again ran high. As of early November, multiple European governments have imposed new and stringent lockdown procedures, and protests against these measures have broken out in some countries.

Pew Research Center’s survey, conducted June 10 to Aug. 3, 2020, not only preceded this major spike in cases, but it took place at a time when new COVID-19 cases were relatively contained in the European Union. At the time of the survey, these EU countries were recording fewer new cases per day – especially compared with some of the previous spikes in April. For example, Italy had a total of 117 new cases per million people between July 1 and Aug. 1, while part of the survey was fielding – down precipitously from a total of 1,716 new cases per million between April 1 and May 1.

The limited number of new cases over the summer months – and the cessation of some travel restrictions and lockdowns – may have contributed to the relatively positive views most European Union residents had toward the EU’s handling of COVID-19 when polled. These views may have shifted since then, and they may continue to evolve as the pandemic does. Nevertheless, the relationships discussed in this report, such as how views of the EU’s response to COVID-19 are related to overall opinion of the EU, are important to understand. As this report indicates, views of the European Union are related to people’s assessments of its response to the pandemic, as well as people’s economic attitudes.

These positive evaluations also extended to the Brussels-based institution, more broadly, which a median of 66% rated favorably this summer. In Germany, EU favorability reached a record high in the more than 15 years Pew Research Center has been surveying on the topic, with 73% of Germans offering positive assessments of the bloc. In most other EU member states surveyed, ratings largely held steady or improved since last year. In the United Kingdom – in the Center’s first survey of the country since it formally left the EU on Jan. 31, 2020 – the 60% who said they had positive views of the EU is also a historic high, and up 6 percentage points since last year.

Country spotlight: United Kingdom

As has regularly been the case in these surveys, younger people and those on the ideological left tended to have more positive views of the European Union than older age groups or those on the ideological right, respectively. And people with favorable views of right-wing populist parties tended to have less positive views of the EU than others.

When polled over the summer, in every European country surveyed, people who said the EU did well in its response to the pandemic were much more likely to have a positive view of the EU than those who thought the EU did a poor job dealing with COVID-19. Perceptions of the economy at the time of the survey – as well as optimism about the economic future – also colored views of the bloc. Those who thought their domestic economy was in good shape and those who expected their country’s economy to improve were both more likely to have favorable views of the EU and to approve of its handling of COVID-19 than people who thought the economy was in bad shape or expected the economy to worsen.

When it comes to confidence in the two European leaders widely credited with compromising in order to pass a 750 billion euro recovery plan for the bloc – German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron – both were trusted to do the right thing regarding world affairs by around half or more in nearly every EU member state polled. In the case of Merkel, confidence in her leadership increased substantially since last year in Germany (up 7 percentage points), the Netherlands (+6) and Italy (+6) and stood at historic highs in Spain as well as several non-EU member states, including the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan.

Confidence in Macron also increased significantly over the past year in Italy (+9 points) and Sweden (+6) and among several non-EU states including the UK (+9), Japan (+9) and the U.S. (+6). As was the case with attitudes toward the EU, views of both Merkel and Macron were related to assessments of how well the EU had done handling COVID-19.

Trust in British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has overseen his country’s Brexit transition out of the European membership organization, was much more limited. Across the eight EU countries surveyed, a median of 36% had confidence in him to do the right thing regarding world affairs. Even in the UK itself, confidence in Johnson (51%) was lower than confidence in Macron (64%) and Merkel (76%).

People in these EU countries largely approved of the job their own countries had done handling COVID-19 when they were surveyed between June and August of this year. And, in many countries, this was related to favorable views of political parties. For example, in Germany, people who said the country had done a good job dealing with the coronavirus outbreak were 50 percentage points more likely to have a favorable view of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Views of the ruling En Marche in France, too, were heavily colored by whether people thought the country had done a good job or bad job dealing with COVID-19.

The sense that the country had handled the pandemic well also colored views of some opposition parties. For example, in the Netherlands, those who thought their country had handled the pandemic well tended to have more positive views not only of the ruling People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and Democrats 66 (D66) but also of the Labour Party.

Against this backdrop, approval of many political parties was up significantly in the summer in comparison with the previous year. In Germany, for example, positive views of two of the ruling parties, CDU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), rose 14 and 12 percentage points over 2019, respectively. Ruling parties in Italy, the UK and the Netherlands also experienced significant bumps in approval. And opposition parties like the UK’s Labour Party as well as the Socialist Party and the Republicans in France also gained in the polls.

Over this same period, views of some right-wing populist parties – Forum for Democracy (FvD) in the Netherlands and Lega in Italy – fell by 8 and 15 points, respectively.

These are among the findings of a Pew Research Center survey, conducted June 10 to Aug. 3, 2020, among 7,970 adults in eight European Union member nations: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. Together, these eight European Union member states account for about 68% of the EU population and 79% of the EU economy, according to 2019 data from the World Bank. Additional findings come from a survey of the United Kingdom, conducted among 1,003 adults from June 10 to July 28, 2020.

Results in this report also draw from surveys conducted June 11 to July 29, 2020, among 5,303 adults in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea.

Across these five non-European countries, evaluations of how well the European Union handled COVID-19 varied widely. In both Canada and the U.S., around six-in-ten or more said the EU had done a good job when surveyed this summer. In Australia, evaluations were mixed: 46% approved of the EU’s handling of the global pandemic while 45% said it had done a poor job. And in Japan and South Korea, half or more said the EU had done a bad job dealing with the outbreak (52% and 78%, respectively). While overall favorability of the EU also varied widely across these countries – from a low of 47% in Japan to a high of 71% in Canada – in each country, perceptions of how well the EU had done handling COVID-19 is related to favorability of the EU.

(PEW)

November 17, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/11/17/majorities-in-the-european-union-have-favorable-views-of-the-bloc/