Key findings More than four in 10 South Africans (43%) say China’s economic activities have “a lot” of influence on the country’s economy. o About three in 10 (31%) say they “don’t know” enough to assess China’s economic influence. Positive perceptions of foreign influence have decreased since 2021, including a 16- percentage-point drop for the United States. Still, positive outnumber negative perceptions by roughly 2-to-1 regarding the economic and political influence of China (37% positive vs. 20%), the United States (32% vs. 15%), and the EU (20% vs. 14%). o Assessments of Russian influence are almost equally negative (22%) and positive (25%). ANC supporters are no more likely than adherents of other political parties to see Russia’s influence as positive. Adherents of the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are most likely to see China’s influence as positive, while Democratic Alliance (DA) supporters favour U.S. influence. o Large shares of citizens say they “don’t know” enough to assess the influence of foreign powers, especially the EU. Chinese economic activity in South Africa Understanding the influence of South Africa’s largest trading partner on the domestic economy is critical. When asked how much influence China’s economic activities have on their country’s economy, 43% of South Africans say “a lot,” 13% “some,” and 12% “a little” or “none” (Figure 1). Importantly, 31% of South Africans do not feel confident enough to share an opinion, suggesting either a lack of interest or inadequate domestic media coverage of developments in Chinese economic activity in South Africa.

Among those who say they “don’t know” about Chinese influence on the South African economy, some clear demographic trends emerge (Figure 2). Economically better-off citizens are less likely to fall in this category (22%) than those experiencing some level of “lived poverty”1) (32%-35%). And more than half (53%) of citizens with primary schooling or less say they “don’t know,” compared to 32% and 20%, respectively, of those with secondary or post-secondary education.

While urban and rural residents are about equally likely to say they have not heard enough on this topic, there is significant inter-provincial variation, ranging from 16% in KwaZulu-Natal to 49% in the Northern Cape. Interestingly, respondents who say they get news “every day” from newspapers are less likely to feel uninformed on Chinese economic influence on South Africa (21%) than those who get daily news from television, social media, the Internet, and radio (27%-30%). Foreign influence in South Africa China’s economic and political influence on South Africa is viewed as positive by 37% of respondents, exceeding positive perceptions of the influence of the United States (32%) and Russia (25%) Figure 3). But positive perceptions of foreign influence declined between 2021 and 2022 – sharply so in the case of the United States (by 16 percentage points) and marginally for China (3 points). Despite the government’s drift toward the Russian orbit, citizens’ positive opinions on Russian influence declined as well, by 5 points.

Further unpacking the latest perceptions, Figure 4 shows that South Africans’ divided perceptions of foreign influence mirror global and regional dynamics that are shifting toward a multipolar world order not solely dominated by influence from the traditional “West.” While the EU’s influence is seen as positive by 20% of South Africans, it is also viewed as negative by 14%. Russia’s and China’s influence draw the largest shares of negative perceptions (22% and 20%, respectively). The figure also shows the large proportions of South Africans who say they “don’t know” enough to answer the question, highlighting a widespread lack of interest or of accessible information on the activities of foreign powers in South Africa. This ranges from 33% on China – almost equal to those who hold positive perceptions of Chinese influence – to more than half (52%) on the EU.

Does the foreign engagement of the ruling party align with voter preferences? Figure 5 further breaks down perceptions of foreign influence among supporters of various political parties. Among respondents who say they “feel close to” the ruling ANC, negative perceptions of Russian influence (20%) almost match positive ones (24%), while Chinese influence is most likely to be seen as positive (33%, vs. 19% negative). However, large portions of ANC supporters say they “don’t know” enough about these issues to have an opinion, ranging up to 50% for Russia and 60% for the EU. Supporters of the two leading opposition parties, the EFF and the DA, are less likely to say they “don’t know” enough about foreign influence. Despite the EFF’s dominant anti-colonial narratives, the same proportion of its supporters see Russian and EU influence as positive (24%), and greater shares welcome the influence of China (39%) and the United States (32%). One in three EFF supporters (33%) perceive Russian influence as negative – the largest share of negative perceptions across political parties and foreign actors. Again, citizens seem to know least about the influence of the EU (41%). Nearly half (47%) of DA supporters perceive U.S. influence as positive, followed by Chinese influence (40%). As with ANC and EFF adherents, DA supporters are most likely to perceive Russian influence negatively (25%), and again the EU’s influence is least known (40%).

Conclusion South Africans’ perceptions of foreign powers such as China, the United States, and Russia have tilted away from positivity since the previous round of Afrobarometer surveys. The ANC’s drift toward Russia is not reflected in public opinion, as negative perceptions nearly match positive views of Russian influence, including among the ANC’s voter base. On the other hand, popular perceptions of Chinese and U.S. influence, despite declines compared to 2021, are more positive than negative, reflective also of South Africa’s economic ties to these nations. Large portions of society say they have not heard enough to have an opinion on foreign influence, an important finding at a time of flux in global power relations and in a country relatively open to foreign influence. One in three South Africans are in the dark about the impact of Chinese economic activity in South Africa, despite China’s emergence as a key economic partner. Similarly, the EU contributes to large inflows of investment and aid, yet South Africans know least about EU influence in their country. To take public opinion into account in the alignment of international partnerships, foreign policy debates in South Africa will need to reach and engage wider audiences with a concerted effort from television and radio news broadcasters.

(Afrobarometer)

22 August 2023

Source:https://www.afrobarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AD690-How-do-South-Africans-see-influence-of-foreign-powers-Afrobarometer-21aug23.pdf

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(Turkey)

4 Out Of 3 People Argue That The Types Of Plastic That Cannot Be Recycled Should Be Banned

The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2022, which stipulates that an internationally binding agreement aimed at eliminating the world's plastic pollution will be opened for signature by the end of 2024 and the establishment of the INC. In Turkey about half of individuals think that all types of plastic are recyclable, one in 3 individuals does not currently have a regular recycling/recycling behavior.

(Ipsos Turkey)

31 July 2023

(Pakistan)

In The Last 14 Years (2009-2023), The Opinion That The Pakistani Media Is Negatively Affecting People Has Increased By 20%

In 2023, 43% were of the opinion that media is negatively affecting people, 46% said it is presenting reality and facts, while 10% said they did not know. Trend Analysis: The proportion of people who are of the opinion that the Pakistani media is negatively affecting people has increased by 20% since 2009, while those who believe it to be presenting reality and facts has decreased by 15%.

(Gallup Pakistan)

04 August 2023

Gallup Pakistan Electoral Repository

The database of the past 11 elections has been consolidated from the Elections Commission of Pakistan (ECP) data by Gallup Pakistan’s Data Analytics team and analyzed over the past many years. The turnout in 2018 general elections was 51%; only half of Pakistan’s voter base came out to cast their votes. In 2018, turnout was highest in Punjab (56.8%) and lowest in KP (41.5%). Voter turnout in Balochistan was marginally higher than in KP.

(Gallup Pakistan)

21 August 2023

AFRICA

(Nigeria)

63% Of Nigerian Youth Willing To Relocate Abroad

A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that 63 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide disclosed they are willing to relocate to other countries if given an opportunity. Interestingly, more youths, respondents within the age bracket 18 – 35 years (73 percent), formed the largest group with a willingness to migrate. In addition, findings revealed the search for greener pasture (60 percent) is the major drive for migration, followed by education (32 percent).

(NOI Polls)

22 August 2023

(South Africa)

As South Africa Looks To Russia, How Do Citizens See Influence Of Foreign Powers

Positive perceptions of foreign influence have decreased since 2021, including a 16- percentage-point drop for the United States. Still, positive outnumber negative perceptions by roughly 2-to-1 regarding the economic and political influence of China (37% positive vs. 20%), the United States (32% vs. 15%), and the EU (20% vs. 14%). o Assessments of Russian influence are almost equally negative (22%) and positive (25%). ANC supporters are no more likely than adherents of other political parties to see Russia’s influence as positive.

(Afrobarometer)

22 August 2023

(Liberia)

Gender-Based Violence Tops Women’s-Rights Issues In Liberia; Citizens Say It Is A Criminal Matter

Liberians rank gender-based violence (GBV) as the most important women’s-rights issue that the government and society must address. Citizens are evenly divided on how often GBV occurs in their community: Half (50%) say violence against women and girls is “somewhat” or “very” common, while just as many disagree. A majority (56%) of Liberians say it is “never” justified for a man to use physical force to discipline his wife. But more than four in 10 (44%) think it is “sometimes” or “always” justified.

(Afrobarometer)

25 August 2023

WEST EUROPE

(UK)

More Than Eight In Ten Britons Believe The Government Is Handling Immigration Badly

Despite Rishi Sunak declaring that his ‘stop the boats’ plan is working, Britons remain unconvinced. Just one in eleven (9%) have confidence that the government will reduce the number of asylum seekers crossing the channel on small boats, including only 1% who feel “very” confident. Eight in ten are either not very confident (34%), or not at all confident (46%) that the government will be successful. This includes 80% of 2019 Conservative voters and 85% of 2019 Labour voters.

(YouGov UK)

08 August 2023

By 46% To 36%, Britons Say There Should Be Another EU Referendum In The Next Ten Years

While ‘Bregret’ is rife, there is not an immediate appetite amongst Britons to reverse the decision. Just 26% would say there should referendum on the matter before the end of 2023, with 59% saying there should not be. However, appetite rises to 39% when asked whether there should be a referendum in the next five years, although 44% still say there should not. When it comes to within the next 10 years, the plurality view becomes that there should be a new EU referendum, with 46% saying there should be compared to 36% saying there should not.

(YouGov UK)

14 August 2023

To What Extent Do Britons Think Human Activity Is Responsible For Climate Change

Asked first whether or not they think the climate is changing, 87% of Britons say they believe it is. Only 7% say it is not, a slightly higher rate than we get with the compound question on the website tracker (generally 2-4%). A further 6% are unsure, a lower rate than the website tracker tends to generate (normally between 10-13%).Overall, 25% of Britons think the human race is “entirely or almost entirely responsible” for the changing climate. They are joined by a further 32% who think human activity is responsible for “a large majority” of the change.

(YouGov UK)

18 August 2023

Khan Net Favourability At -12 In London, While Susan Hall Is Still Unknown To Most

A new YouGov survey of Londoners finds that Sadiq Khan’s net popularity stands at -12, with 40% having a favourable view of the mayor and 52% an unfavourable one.Among those who voted for Labour nationally in 2019, 62% have a favourable view of Khan, compared to 33% with an unfavourable view.New Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall is still unknown to most Londoners (57%). One in five have a positive view of her, while 21% have a negative view.Among 2019 Conservative voters, Hall is seen favourably by 49% and unfavourably by 9%.

(YouGov UK)

22 August 2023

One In Three In England Are Interested In Women’s Football Following 2023 World Cup

A YouGov study conducted during the group stages of the tournament found that 21% of English people said they were “very interested” or “fairly interested” in women’s football. That figure grew as England advanced through the knockout stages, and immediately after the tournament stands at 34% - a 13 point increase.Among those who express an interest in football in general, interest in women’s football specifically has likewise increased from 51% to 65%.Interest in women’s football among English women now stands at 30% (up from 19%) and among English men it is 38% (up from 23%).

(YouGov UK)

23 August 2023

Public Importance Of Climate Change And The Environment Doubles To Become The Joint-Third Biggest Issue Facing The Country

Amid news headlines about extreme temperatures and wildfires experienced across Europe and the world, the proportion of Britons who say they are concerned about climate change and the environment has risen thirteen points since last month, and stands at the highest level since the COP26 conference in Glasgow in November 2021. It is mentioned by a quarter (25%) of Britons ranking it alongside the NHS, which itself has seen a drop of eight percentage points since July.

(Ipsos MORI)

15 August 2023

Fees And Student Debt Are Main Reasons That Quarter Of Brits Don’t Think It’s Worth Going To University

Research from Ipsos finds that a quarter (25%) of Britons, don’t think going to university is worth it for young people. The main reasons for this are fees (49%) and student loan debt (42%), but there is also a strength of feeling that people don’t need to go to university to get a good job (37%).Nearly three quarters (73%) of the public site people from poorer backgrounds being put off university because of the cost as a concern and a similar proportion (72%) say students having high levels of financial debt is also a concern.

(Ipsos MORI)

17 August 2023

Brits Want To Fight Climate Change, But A Third Of Consumers Unaware Of How To Make Homes Greener

British consumers are taking responsibility for reducing the impact of climate change - with 76% believing they have a responsibility to cut carbon impact and help get to Net Zero. But over a third (34%) of British adults still aren’t aware of the most environmentally friendly way to heat their homes, despite the government’s ambitious goal of reaching Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 - according to new research from Mitsubishi Electric and Ipsos.80% of domestic heating comes from gas. To combat this, the UK government is driving a move to lower carbon alternatives, including heat pumps, through programmes like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

(Ipsos MORI)

23 August 2023

(Germany)

Environmentally Conscious Gamers: Action Games And Sustainable Electronics

A new YouGov audience analysis on the topic of "environmentally conscious gamers". Environmentally conscious gamers are more likely to be men (70 percent) aged 25 to 34 (31 vs. 15 percent of the total population). This target group is increasingly active in the IT sector (11 percent) and more than a fifth (22 percent) have a migration background. The group is career-focused: 38 percent are willing to sacrifice their free time to advance in their careers (vs. 32 percent of the total population).

(YouGov Germany)

03 August 2023

(Ireland)

Almost One-In-Five (18%) Consumers Expect The Irish Economy To Improve In The Next Six Months

Almost one-in-five (18%) consumers expect the Irish economy to improve in the next six months, up from just one-in-twenty (5%) 12 months ago. But while some are that bit more optimistic about the future for the economy, more than half (52%) believe things will actually get worse over the next six months (this is down from more than four-in-five 12 months ago).Despite the moderation in inflation over the past year, four-out-of-five (80%) are expecting a further deterioration in the cost-of-living in the next six months.

(REDC Research)

15 August 2023

NORTH AMERICA

(USA)

College Students Experience High Levels Of Worry And Stress

During the spring 2023 semester, 76% of U.S. college students reported experiencing enjoyment during much of the prior day. However, majorities also said they felt stress (66%) and worry (51%). In addition, 39% said they endured loneliness and 36% sadness the previous day.Approximately three-quarters of female students (72%) report experiencing stress a lot of the prior day, compared with 56% of male students. Likewise, 56% of female students report experiencing worry the prior day, compared with 40% of their male peers.

(Gallup)

10 August 2023

Four In 10 College Students Have Had Internship Experience

Reports of internship participation are lower among first-generation college students whose parents have not completed a degree (27%) and among students enrolled at public colleges and universities (36%) compared with their counterparts. At the same time, internship rates are similar among different demographic subgroups of the currently enrolled student population, with higher rates among Hispanic, White and male students.

(Gallup)

16 August 2023

U.S. Cigarette Smoking Rate Steady Near Historical Low

Gallup’s latest update on cigarette smoking finds 12% of U.S. adults saying they smoked cigarettes in the past week, similar to the 11% measured a year ago but significantly lower than any other year in Gallup’s nearly 80-year trend.A major reason for the decline in smoking is that fewer young adults today than in prior decades are smoking cigarettes. Typically, young adults had much higher smoking rates than other age groups. Whereas 35% of young adults said they smoked cigarettes in 2001-2003, the figure has dropped to 10% in 2019-2023 data.

(Gallup)

18 August 2023

In U.S., 4% Identify As Vegetarian, 1% As Vegan

The July 3-27 poll update suggests there may have been a slight decline in vegetarianism compared with the earliest readings in 1999 and 2001, when 6% identified that way. There is a small degree of overlap in identification as vegetarian and vegan, as less than 1% of U.S. adults say they are both vegetarian and vegan. That is about what Gallup has found historically, but most vegetarians and vegans identify as only one or the other. Liberals, Low-Income Adults More Likely to Follow Vegetarian Diet.

(Gallup)

24 August 2023

More Than 4 In 10 U.S. Workers Don’t Take All Their Paid Time Off

Upper-income workers are more likely than middle- and lower-income workers to say they take off less time than offered. About half of upper-income workers (51%) say this, compared with 45% of middle-income workers and 41% of lower-income workers.There are also differences by education level. About half of workers who have a bachelor’s degree or more education (51%) say they take less time off than what is offered, compared with 41% of workers with less education.

(PEW)

10 August 2023

Growing Share Of Americans Favor More Nuclear Power

A majority of Americans (57%) say they favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity in the country, up from 43% who said this in 2020.Americans are still far more likely to say they favor more solar power (82%) and wind power (75%) than nuclear power. All three energy sources emit no carbon.Support for nuclear power has increased among both parties since 2020. Half of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents now say they favor expanding nuclear power, an increase from 37% in 2020. And two-thirds of Republicans and Republican leaners now favor more nuclear power, up 14 percentage points since 2020.

(PEW)

18 August 2023

Americans Are Divided On Whether Society Overlooks Racial Discrimination Or Sees It Where It Doesn’t Exist

53% say people not seeing racial discrimination where it really does exist is the bigger problem. 45% point to people seeing racial discrimination where it really doesn’t exist as the larger issue. Views on this have changed in recent years, according to Pew Research Center surveys. In 2019, 57% said people overlooking racial discrimination was the bigger problem, while 42% pointed to people seeing it where it really didn’t exist. That gap has narrowed from 15 to 8 percentage points.

(PEW)

25 August 2023

Majority Of Americans Say U.S. Is One Of The Greatest Countries In The World

Today, two-in-ten Americans say the U.S. “stands above all other countries in the world.” About half (52%) say the U.S. is “one of the greatest countries, along with some others,” while 27% say “there are other countries that are better than the U.S.”Opinions about the nation’s global standing have changed slightly since 2019. That year, 24% said the U.S. is the single greatest nation, 55% said it is one of the best countries, and 21% said other countries are better than the U.S.

(PEW)

29 August 2023

(Canada)

Another Six In Ten (61%) Can’t Or Don’t Want To Pay More In Taxes To Fight Climate Change

An Ipsos survey conducted on behalf of the Montreal Economic Institute finds that despite the fact that many Canadians can’t or don’t want to pay more taxes to help fight the climate change, they are generally in favour of the government increasing carbon sequestration incentive measures to reduce GHG emissions and two-thirds (67%) also support developing new oil and gas infrastructure leading to ports in British Columbia or Eastern Canada in order to allow these Canadian resources to reach new markets in Europe and Asia. This is particularly true for Alberta residents (86%).

(Ipsos Canada)

22 August 2023

Majority Say Climate Change Is ‘crisis’ That Needs Immediate Action; 10 Per Cent Say It’s Hopeless

A new study from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds more than half of Canadians (55%) expecting even worse fire conditions in the future, while one-quarter (26%) say this year (a record-breaking year for fires itself) will be the new normal. Few have any hope for calmer summers to come.For those affected by wildfires or smoke in the past five years, one-in-eight (13%) say they would consider relocating to a place that feels safer. Young adults say this is on their mind at higher rates (24%) than others as they consider where to set down roots and build their lives. Climate migration in Canada may be a new concept, but this research suggests it is on the minds of many.

(Angus Reid Institute)

22 August 2023

AUSTRALIA

Readership Of Magazines Is Up 4.1% From A Year Ago With Increases In Readership For All Magazine Categories

Now 11.5 million Australians aged 14+ (53.1%) read print magazines, up 4.1 per cent on a year ago, according to the results released today from the Roy Morgan Australian Readership report for the 12 months to June 2023.This market broadens to 15 million Australians aged 14+ (69.5%) who read magazines in print or online either via the web or an app, a small drop of 1.8 per cent from a year ago. These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey of 66,234 Australians aged 14+ in the 12 months to June 2023.

(Roy Morgan)

22 August 2023

A Record High 1.5 Million Australians Are Now ‘at Risk’ Of ‘mortgage Stress’ Representing 29.2% Of Mortgage Holders

New research from Roy Morgan shows a record high 1.5 million (29.2%) mortgage holders were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in the three months to July 2023. This period encompassed two interest rate increases of 0.25% taking official interest rates to 4.1% in June.Although the number of Australians at risk of mortgage stress (1,496,000) is at a record high the proportion of 29.2% remains below the record highs reached during the Global Financial Crisis of 10-15 years ago.

(Roy Morgan)

28 August 2023

Super Fund Satisfaction Drops To 65% In July 2023 – Down 7% Points From Record High 18 Months Ago In January 2022

New data from Roy Morgan’s Superannuation Satisfaction Report shows an overall super fund satisfaction rating of 65% in July 2023 – a decrease of 7% points from the record high reached one-and-a-half years ago in January 2022 (72.0%). Despite the decrease over the last year and a half superannuation satisfaction is still significantly higher than the long-term average of 58.1% from 2007-2023 and also higher than at any time prior to the pandemic years of 2021-22 when the measure was at record highs.

(Roy Morgan)

29 August 2023

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

Global Views On Abortion; A Majority Across 29 Countries Believe Abortion Should Be Legal In At Least Most Cases

More than one in two (56%) across 29 countries believe abortion should be legal, including more than one in four (27%) who feel it should be legal in all cases.Support for abortion is highest in Europe, with Sweden and France having the highest level of sentiment in believing abortion should be legal (87% and 82% respectively).Support is lowest in Asia, with Indonesia and Malaysia the only countries where less than one in three think abortion should be legal (22% and 29% respectively).

(Ipsos Global)

22 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en/global-views-abortion

Data Dive: Gen X Myths Vs. Realities, A Survey Across 30 Nations

A quarter (25%, on average across 29 countries) of Gen Xers are worried life will be worse for young men today than it was for men from their parents’ generation (compared to 27% of Boomers, 24% of Millennials and 20% of Gen Zers who say the same). A slightly lower proportion of Gen Xers (20%, vs. 21% of Boomers, 19% of Millennials and 17% of Gen Zers) think life will be worse for young women today than it was for women from their parents’ generation.

(Ipsos Global)

23 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en/data-dive-gen-x-myths-vs-realities

What Worries The World - August 2023, A Survey Across 29 Countries

Inflation is still the highest concern this month. But this month sees a further easing of 1pp to 37%. This month’s level of inflation worry is the lowest it’s been this year and the lowest score since June 2022. 12 nations – Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Poland, Singapore, USA, and Turkey – have rising prices as their biggest concern. Two more than last month. Across all countries, worry about inflation is followed by poverty & social inequality (31%, +1pp), crime & violence (30%, -1pp), unemployment (27%, +1pp), and financial & political corruption (27%, +1pp) which together make up the top five global worries.

(Ipsos Global)

24 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en/what-worries-world-august-2023

ASIA

806-809-43-01/Polls

4 Out Of 3 People Argue That The Types Of Plastic That Cannot Be Recycled Should Be Banned

United Nations; It published an agreement to end pollution from plastic in early 2022. Which of the following is most appropriate for the implementation of this agreement?

How important do you think this clause in the terms of the agreement is? All types of non-recyclable plastic should be banned.

How important do you think this clause in the terms of the agreement is? All new types of plastics must be made from recycled plastics.

Ipsos Turkey CCO Yasemin Özen Gürelli made the following evaluations about the data: The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted a resolution in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2022, which stipulates that an internationally binding agreement aimed at eliminating the world's plastic pollution will be opened for signature by the end of 2024 and the establishment of the INC. The agreement aims to control the entire process of plastic products from production to transformation and to prevent environmental pollution. As Ipsos, when we ask individuals in 34 countries for their views on this issue, although the world average 17% of individuals are not aware of this issue, 10 out of 7 individuals argue that the articles of the agreement should be binding for all governments, the highest participation in this issue is in Peru with 81%, while the people of Japan with 48% participate the least in this issue; Turkey, on the other hand, is close to the world average with 67%.

When it comes to the details of the treaty articles, 4 out of every 3 individuals argue that the types of non-recyclable plastic should be banned, this rate is high in Colombia with 88%, while Japan is the lowest country with 53%. Turkey, on the other hand, is close to the world average with 74%, if we want to compare countries in general and make a generalization; While South America has a more sanctioning view on this issue, Japan is positioned as the country with the lowest tendency on this sanction in the ranking, while Turkey is positioned as a country with an average view.

When we detail the dynamics in Turkey; On the subject of plastics – while about half of individuals think that all types of plastic are recyclable, one in 3 individuals does not currently have a regular recycling/recycling behavior.

Summarize; Although we think about the concerns and sanctions on plastic pollution at levels in line with the world average as a country, we still have a long way to go in terms of implementation and awareness; To many plastic-free Julys and plastic-free years...

(Ipsos Turkey)

31 July 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/tr-tr/her-4-kisiden-3u-geri-donusturulemeyen-plastik-tiplerinin-yasaklanmasi-gerektigini-savunuyor

806-809-43-02/Polls

In The Last 14 Years (2009-2023), The Opinion That The Pakistani Media Is Negatively Affecting People Has Increased By 20%

In a Gallup & Gilani Pakistan National Survey conducted in the year 2009, a representative sample of adult men and women from across Pakistan was asked the following question, “Some people are of the opinion that Pakistani media is not playing its role properly, it is putting a negative effect on people’s thinking, while some are of the opinion that media is reflecting the true facts and is spreading awareness. What is your opinion on this?” In response to this question, 23% were of the opinion that it is negatively affecting people, 61% said that it is presenting reality and facts, while 16% said they did not know. Comparative Picture: This question was asked again in 2023 to allow a comparison to be made across the years. In 2023, 43% were of the opinion that it is negatively affecting people, 46% said it is presenting reality and facts, while 10% said they did not know. Trend Analysis: The proportion of people who are of the opinion that the Pakistani media is negatively affecting people has increased by 20%, while those who believe it to be presenting reality and facts has decreased by 15%.

(Gallup Pakistan)

04 August 2023

Source:https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/04.08.23-History-poll.pdf

806-809-43-03/Polls

Gallup Pakistan Electoral Repository

This press release is part of a special press release that aims to provide the readers interesting findings from Gallup Pakistan’s electoral database. The database of the past 11 elections has been consolidated from the Elections Commission of Pakistan (ECP) data by Gallup Pakistan’s Data Analytics team and analyzed over the past many years under the able leadership of Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani, a political scientist by training from MIT USA. Gallup Pakistan and Gilani Research Foundation have been working in various projects and activities for the past 40 years which aim to popularize use of facts and figures to understand Pakistani society and the complex behavioral and sociological ties that run underneath. This particular press release provides an overview of Pakistan’s 2018 general elections in terms of facts and figures. The need for this arises as we slowly move towards the 12th general election in Pakistan since 1970. INSIGHTS FROM 2018 ELECTIONS: Voter Turnout: The turnout in 2018 general elections was 51%; only half of Pakistan’s voter base came out to cast their votes. In 2018, turnout was highest in Punjab (56.8%) and lowest in KP (41.5%). Voter turnout in Balochistan was marginally higher than in KP.

Voter turnout in 2018 was 10% lower than 50 years ago, during 1970. However, this was not the lowest in Pakistan’s history; those numbers were seen during the 1997 election when only 35% of the voting base came out to cast their ballots.

The overall voter turnout distribution followed the proportion of population in each province in each preceding election. Only in 2018, the turnout was higher in Balochistan than in KP. Voter turnout in Balochistan has increased steadily over the decades, whereas for all other provinces there has been an overall decline.

Compared to the 2013 elections, the voter turnout was lower in 2018. The previous elections saw 53% of eligible voters casting their ballots. In all provinces except for Balochistan, the general election voter turnout was higher during 2013 than during 2018. The highest voter turnout across divisions was 59%, in D.G. Khan and Sargodha, and 58% in Faisalabad and Mirpur Khas. Makran district saw a 56% voter turnout, the same as Lahore.

All regions of Punjab had a consistent voter turnout, between 56% and 59%, and the highest of any region. Interior Sindh, at 52%, had a greater turnout than Karachi region, which only saw 40% of the voting base come out to vote.

(Gallup Pakistan)

21 August 2023

Source:https://gallup.com.pk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/elections-2018-voter-turnout-2.pdf

AFRICA

806-809-43-04/Polls

63% Of Nigerian Youth Willing To Relocate Abroad

Willingness to Migrate, Why Nigerians are willing to migrate

Migration Poll Infographics

Abuja, Nigeria. 15th August 2023 – A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that 63 percent of adult Nigerians nationwide disclosed they are willing to relocate to other countries if given an opportunity. Interestingly, more youths, respondents within the age bracket 18 – 35 years (73 percent), formed the largest group with a willingness to migrate. In addition, findings revealed the search for greener pasture (60 percent) is the major drive for migration, followed by education (32 percent). In the same vein, 3 percent cited insecurity as the reason why they would like to migrate to foreign countries. These buttresses the revelations made by premium times newspaper, in a publication of October 3, 2022, which reported that unemployment has pushed more people under the poverty line, with youths primarily affected, coupled with heightened insecurity in the country.

Further analysis by geographical locations clearly showed that the South-East zone (74 percent) accounts for the highest proportion of Nigerians willing to migrate to other countries if given the opportunity. This is closely followed by the South-South (70 percent) and South-West zone (63 percent).

More findings revealed that most adult Nigerians (50 percent), believe that Nigerians living abroad have better living conditions. Similarly, (54 percent) are of the opinion that those living in foreign countries are better off in terms of opportunities compared to Nigerians at home. Further analysis shows that a considerable proportion (52 percent) assert that Nigerians living in foreign countries are better off financially.

With regards to recommendations on how the Federal Government can reduce the migration rate, findings revealed that 64 percent want the government to create jobs, 29 percent advised the government to tackle insecurity, and 26 percent proposed the provision of basic amenities. Additionally, 25 percent want the government to reduce inflation, while 14 percent recommended the creation of better working conditions, 11 percent want the government to improve the welfare of citizens and 12 percent suggest improvement of healthcare services, economy, and electricity. However, just a few respondents (1 percent) want the government to open the borders. These are some of the key findings from the Migration Poll conducted in the week commencing 4th of July 2023.

(NOI Polls)

22 August 2023

Source:https://www.noi-polls.com/post/migration

806-809-43-05/Polls

As South Africa Looks To Russia, How Do Citizens See Influence Of Foreign Powers

(Afrobarometer)

22 August 2023

Source:https://www.afrobarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AD690-How-do-South-Africans-see-influence-of-foreign-powers-Afrobarometer-21aug23.pdf

806-809-43-06/Polls

Gender-Based Violence Tops Women’s-Rights Issues In Liberia; Citizens Say It Is A Criminal Matter

Key findings Liberians rank gender-based violence (GBV) as the most important women’s-rights issue that the government and society must address. Citizens are evenly divided on how often GBV occurs in their community: Half (50%) say violence against women and girls is “somewhat” or “very” common, while just as many disagree. A majority (56%) of Liberians say it is “never” justified for a man to use physical force to discipline his wife. But more than four in 10 (44%) think it is “sometimes” or “always” justified. Almost two-thirds (63%) of Liberians consider it likely that victims of GBV will be criticised, harassed, or shamed by others in the community if they report these crimes to the authorities, including 30% who say this is “very likely.” o But a large majority (89%) believe that the police are likely to take cases of GBV seriously. About two-thirds (65%) of Liberians say domestic violence should be treated as a criminal matter, rather than as a private matter to be resolved within the family. Is gender-based violence (GBV) an important problem in Liberia? In Liberia, gender-based violence ranks as the most important problem related to women’s rights that citizens think the government and society must address (Figure 1).

Almost half (47%) of respondents cite GBV as their top concern – more than twice as many as prioritise a lack of women in influential positions in government (20%) and unequal access to education (19%). Unequal opportunities or pay in the workplace (9%) and unequal rights of property ownership and inheritance (4%) rank lower among citizens’ concerns. Women and men share similar views on the importance of addressing GBV. How common is GBV? Liberians are evenly divided on how often gender-based violence occurs in their community. Half (50%) say violence against women and girls is “somewhat common” (21%) or “very common” (29%), while just as many think it is “not very common” (35%) or “not at all common” (15%) (Figure 2).

More women (53%) than men (47%) say that GBV is a common occurrence, a perception that is also more widespread in cities than in rural areas (54% vs. 47%) (Figure 3). The poorest respondents1 (43%) and those with no formal schooling (43%) are less likely to see violence against women as common than their better-off (51%-53%) and more educated (49%-53%) counterparts. Older respondents are less likely to report frequent GBV (32% among those over age 55) than young cohorts.

Physical discipline of a spouse A majority (56%) of Liberians say it is “never justified” for a man to use physical force to discipline his wife, but almost half (44%) consider it “sometimes” or “always” justified.2 Men and women see almost eye to eye on this issue (Figure 4). Educated citizens are more likely to reject the use of physical force (61% of those with secondary or post-secondary education, vs. 48%-54% of those with primary schooling or less) (Figure 5). This perception is also more widespread in cities (60%) than in rural areas (52%). The oldest (49%) and youngest (51%) respondents are less likely to oppose the use of physical force by husbands.

Response to GBV Police and scholars agree that the true extent of GBV is unknown because many attacks on girls and women are never reported. Reasons include fear of the attacker, fear of a negative response by others, and the belief that the authorities won’t take the case seriously (Palermo, Bleck, & Peterman, 2014). Almost two-thirds (63%) of Liberians consider it likely that a woman who reports being a victim of rape, domestic violence, or other gender-based violence will be criticised, harassed, or shamed by others in the community, including 30% who say this is “very likely” (Figure 6). Only 37% say such negative responses are “somewhat” or “very” unlikely. Men and women share almost identical perceptions on this issue, which may serve as a significant deterrent to reporting GBV.

In contrast to their expectations of stigmatisation by community members, nine out of 10 respondents (89%) believe that the police will take cases of GBV seriously, including 74% who see this as “very likely” (Figure 7). Confidence in the police response is high across key demographic groups, and gathers strength as respondents’ education levels rise (Figure 8).

Is domestic violence a criminal or family matter? One common form of GBV is domestic violence. Even though the perpetrators may be known, many domestic violence cases go unreported or unresolved, and many present victims and families with complex, wrenching decisions. Do Liberians see domestic violence as a criminal matter or a private matter? Two-thirds (65%) of respondents say domestic violence is a criminal matter that requires the involvement of law enforcement agencies, while one-third (33%) believe that GBV is a private matter to be resolved within the family (Figure 9).

Women (67%) and urban residents (70%) are more likely than men (63%) and rural residents (60%) to see GBV as a criminal matter (Figure 10). Perceptions of domestic violence as a criminal matter increase with respondents’ educational level, ranging from 54% among those with no formal schooling to 78% among those with post-secondary qualifications.

Conclusion Survey findings show that in Liberia, gender-based violence (GBV) is regarded as the most important women’s-rights issue that the government and society must address. Half of adults say GBV is a common occurrence in their communities. A majority of citizens reject the use of physical force by men to discipline their wives and consider GBV to be a criminal matter. While there is confidence in the police to address reported GBV cases, Liberians believe victims of domestic violence who report such incidents will likely be criticised or shamed.

(Afrobarometer)

25 August 2023

Source:https://www.afrobarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AD695-Gender-based-violence-tops-womens-rights-issues-in-Liberia-Afrobarometer-24aug23.pdf

WEST EUROPE

806-809-43-07/Polls

More Than Eight In Ten Britons Believe The Government Is Handling Immigration Badly

One of Rishi Sunak’s pledges at the beginning of his premiership was to reduce the number of people arriving in small boats to seek asylum in the UK and remove those that do swiftly.

Home secretary Suella Braverman planned to deter people from making the journey with a deal to send those arriving by irregular means to seek asylum in the UK to Rwanda. But following several setbacks, how do the public think the government, and Suella Braverman are doing? A new YouGov poll takes a look.

Britons lack confidence that the government will reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving in small boats

After a series of defeats in the House of Lords on their plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, followed by a ruling from the Court of Appeal that the policy would be unlawful, Suella Braverman has remained committed to the Rwanda plan. But Britons lack faith that it’s ever going to happen, with three quarters (73%) believing it is unlikely this policy will go ahead, including 77% of Conservative voters and 74% of Labour voters. Just 12% overall believe any asylum seekers will ever be sent to Rwanda.

Britons tend to believe Suella Braverman is doing a bad job as home secretary

Suella Braverman remains one of the least popular politicians in the country, with a net favourability rating of -43.

When it comes to her job performance, around half (49%) of Britons believe Braverman is doing a bad job as home secretary, versus 13% who think she is doing well.

Though Conservative voters are most likely to believe she is doing a good job (29%), this group is still more likely to believe she is doing badly (49%). Seven in ten Labour voters (72%) believe her to be doing badly.

Britons believe the government are handling immigration and crime and policing badly

Under her remit as home secretary, Suella Braverman is responsible for crime and policing, immigration and counter-terrorism efforts. When it comes to immigration and crime and policing, a large majority believe the government to be doing a bad job, at 83% and 72% respective. Just 7% and 15% respectively believe them to be doing a good job.

However, Britons do tend to believe the government are doing a good job on counter-terrorism at 45%, compared to 27% who think they are handling it badly. Terrorism – or the lack thereof – has consistently been the issue the government performs most favourably on, along with (to a lesser extent) defence.

(YouGov UK)

08 August 2023

Source:https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2023/08/08/public-lack-confidence-conservatives-stop-boats

806-809-43-08/Polls

By 46% To 36%, Britons Say There Should Be Another EU Referendum In The Next Ten Years

It’s been over seven years since the EU referendum, and nearly four years since Britain actually left the European Union.

However, appetite rises to 39% when asked whether there should be a referendum in the next five years, although 44% still say there should not. When it comes to within the next 10 years, the plurality view becomes that there should be a new EU referendum, with 46% saying there should be compared to 36% saying there should not.

Unsurprisingly, it is Remain voters who are most in favour of a new EU referendum, with 41% saying there should be one this year, 61% saying so within the next five years, and 70% in the next ten years. By contrast, only 8% of Leave voters support a referendum in 2023, 16% think there should be one in the next five years, and 20% within the next ten years.

While Keir Starmer has ruled out rejoining the EU, most Britons who currently intend to vote Labour say there should be another referendum in the next five years (63%) or ten years (69%). Few Tory voters agree, at 13% and 21%, respectively.

Were a vote to be held, our figures suggest the ‘Re-join’ side would likely win, with 50% of Britons saying they would vote to join the European Union, compared to just 30% saying they’d vote to stay out.

This is heavily driven by current Labour voters and 2016 Remain voters, with 78% and 82% respectively saying they’d vote to re-join, compared to just 20% of current Conservative voters and 15% of Leave voters.

Have we got Brexit ‘done’ yet?

While many regret and even want to overturn Brexit, do they think Brexit is ‘done’ in the first place?

There has been a rise in the number of Britons seeing Brexit as ‘done’, but overall, they still think there is more ‘Brexit-ing’ to do. In February of this year, only 18% of people thought Brexit was ‘done’, with 60% saying it is not. Now, this has risen to 30% saying Brexit is complete, although 49% still say it is not.

Most Remain voters say Brexit is not yet done, at 59% to 22%. Leave voters are split, with 40% seeing our exit from the EU as done and dusted, compared to 45% who say it is not yet complete.

YouGov’s tracker data shows that dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of Brexit continues to be very high, with 72% saying they are doing badly. Six in ten (62%) believe Brexit has been more of a failure than a success, and a majority (55%) say we were wrong to vote to leave in the first place.

(YouGov UK)

14 August 2023

Source:https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2023/08/14/46-36-britons-say-there-should-be-another-eu-refer

806-809-43-09/Polls

To What Extent Do Britons Think Human Activity Is Responsible For Climate Change

Previous YouGov questions on belief in the existence of climate change have not established in much detail the extent to which people think humanity is responsible. Our website tracker question only asks whether or not people think humanity is responsible at all (alongside saying it doesn’t exist in the first place), while a 2019 international YouGov study allowed for respondents to distinguish between humanity being “mainly”, “partly” and “not at all” responsible.

Now a new YouGov survey looks at this attitude in a greater level of granularity.

Respondents who say they believe the climate is changing were asked a follow up question on to what extent they believe that mankind is responsible for the changing climate. For ease of comprehension we have presented these figures below as a percentage of the entire population, rather than just as a percentage of those who think the climate is changing.

Overall, 25% of Britons think the human race is “entirely or almost entirely responsible” for the changing climate. They are joined by a further 32% who think human activity is responsible for “a large majority” of the change. Another 12% say humanity is responsible for “most” of the change”.

In the middle are 12% who think that human activity and other factors are about equally responsible. Only 4% think that climate change is taking place but is being driven primarily by factors other than human activity. A further 2% think that the climate is changing but are unsure how much is down to humanity.

While most Britons believe that climate change is taking place, and that human activity is responsible for a majority of this change, this varies between social groups.

Younger Britons are unsurprisingly more convinced that climate change is primarily down to humanity. Eight in ten say that the majority of the change is as a result of human activity (79%), compared to 59% of those aged 65 and above.

If we compare the combined results for “entirely/almost entirely” and “large majority” the difference is even more stark: 69% of 18-24 year olds versus 42% of those aged 65 and above.

Older Britons are notably more likely to say that other factors are equally as responsible for climate change as human activity, at 20% versus 4% of the youngest adults.

The generations are equally (un)likely to think the climate isn’t changing in the first place however, at 5-9%.

There is a much more noticeable difference on this attitude between Conservative and Labour voters, however. One in nine Conservative voters (11%) say the climate is not changing on this study’s question, compared to only 2% of Labour voters.

Nevertheless, the belief that humankind is the main driver of climate change is still the primary view among voters for both parties – 65% among the Conservatives and 84% among Labour voters.

(YouGov UK)

18 August 2023

Source:https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2023/08/18/what-extent-do-britons-think-human-activity-respon

806-809-43-10/Polls

Khan Net Favourability At -12 In London, While Susan Hall Is Still Unknown To Most

A new YouGov survey of Londoners finds that Sadiq Khan’s net popularity stands at -12, with 40% having a favourable view of the mayor and 52% an unfavourable one.

Among those who voted for Labour nationally in 2019, 62% have a favourable view of Khan, compared to 33% with an unfavourable view.

New Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall is still unknown to most Londoners (57%). One in five have a positive view of her, while 21% have a negative view.

Among 2019 Conservative voters, Hall is seen favourably by 49% and unfavourably by 9%.

As many people have a favourable view of Keir Starmer as do Sadiq Khan: 40%. Fewer have an unfavourable view (44%) of Starmer, with the difference being more people saying “don’t know” (16%, compared to 9% for Khan).

Rishi Sunak is far less popular, with only 26% having a favourable view of him. Approaching two thirds (64%) say they have an unfavourable view.

In recent weeks, Jeremy Corbyn has said that he might consider running as an independent candidate in next year’s mayoral elections.

The former leader is, however, less popular in London than the man whose job he would be challenging, and indeed the man who succeeded him in his previous job. One in three Londoners (33%) have a favourable view of Jeremy Corbyn, and 55% an unfavourable one.

(YouGov UK)

22 August 2023

Source:https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2023/08/22/khan-unpopular-london-while-tory-mayoral-candidate

806-809-43-11/Polls

One In Three In England Are Interested In Women’s Football Following 2023 World Cup

While the world cup may have ended in heartbreak for the Lionesses, the team’s success in getting to the final could prove to have had a lasting legacy in popularising women’s football.

Among those who express an interest in football in general, interest in women’s football specifically has likewise increased from 51% to 65%.

Interest in women’s football among English women now stands at 30% (up from 19%) and among English men it is 38% (up from 23%).

The Lionesses’ strong showing in the tournament has also boosted their support significantly. Among England supporters, only 48% said they actively supported the women’s team prior to the world cup – now 62% say they do, significantly closing the gap with the men’s team (76%).

Now that the women’s world cup is finished, a quarter of English people say they watched “a great deal” (5%) or “fair amount” (21%) of it. Prior to the tournament, 16% said they expected to watch this much of the competition.

(YouGov UK)

23 August 2023

Source:https://yougov.co.uk/topics/sport/articles-reports/2023/08/23/one-three-england-are-interested-womens-football-f

806-809-43-12/Polls

Public Importance Of Climate Change And The Environment Doubles To Become The Joint-Third Biggest Issue Facing The Country

● One in four Britons see the environment as an important issue for the country, rising thirteen points since last month

● Concern about the economy has risen seven points since July, making it the joint-biggest issue for the country alongside inflation

● Concern about immigration is at its highest level since 2017 – particularly important to Conservative supporters, who rank it second

The August 2023 Ipsos Issues Index reveals a sharp jump in public concern about climate change, although inflation and the economy remain the most important issues facing the country.

The economy and inflation remain the biggest issues. Thirty-seven per cent of Britons mention each as big issues for the country. Concern about inflation is a similar level to that recorded in July and has remained the most important issue for six consecutive months. The proportion mentioning the economy has risen by seven percentage points since last month, with almost a quarter (23%) seeing it as the single most important national concern.

Almost a quarter (23%) cite immigration as one of the most important issues facing Britain, up two points from last month. The level of public concern is now at the highest level recorded since November 2017. Significant differences in concern remain, with Conservative party supporters (36%) and those aged over 65 (30%) more likely mention it as an issue than Labour supporters (11%) and those aged 18-34 (14%).

For the first time since December 2019, the proportion of people mentioning infectious disease or COVID-19 has fallen to less than half of one per cent. This makes it the 34th biggest issue for the country this month.

inflation 37% / economy 38% / climate change 25% / NHS 25%

Mike Clemence, a researcher at Ipsos, said:

Climate change and the environment has risen to become seen as the joint-third biggest issue facing the country this month, and news reports about wildfires and extreme temperatures disrupting holidays are a likely cause.

Elsewhere we see a small rise in concern about immigration, with worry strongly centred among Conservative party supporters and older people.

However, economic issues continue to lead public concern, with worry about the state of the economy rising this month, particularly for Labour party supporters and the middle classes.

(Ipsos MORI)

15 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/public-importance-climate-change-and-environment-doubles-become-joint-third-biggest-issue-facing

806-809-43-13/Polls

Fees And Student Debt Are Main Reasons That Quarter Of Brits Don’t Think It’s Worth Going To University

Nearly three quarters (73%) of the public site people from poorer backgrounds being put off university because of the cost as a concern and a similar proportion (72%) say students having high levels of financial debt is also a concern.

Ways of potentially addressing the issue of cost, may include fees and interest on student loans. When asked about student loan interest, there is clearly support for keeping this low, or scrapping it all together, with 41% of people saying they think that student loans should be interest free, whilst a further 21% say they should be a lower interest rate than inflation. A quarter of people say it should be in line (16%) or above (6%) the rate of inflation. The current rates of interest range from 5.5% 7.1%.

The issue of fees is a more complex, with 22% of Britons saying the £9250 per year limit on university fees should be reduced, the same proportion 21% say that fees should be scrapped in favour of free university education, paid for by taxation. Whilst 19% say they would favour replacing the current system, in favour of a graduate tax that would be paid by graduates after graduating. One in 10 (11%) think that fees should stay as they are and 6% think current fees should be increased.

(Ipsos MORI)

17 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/fees-and-student-debt-are-main-reasons-quarter-brits-dont-think-its-worth-going-university

806-809-43-14/Polls

Brits Want To Fight Climate Change, But A Third Of Consumers Unaware Of How To Make Homes Greener

UK consumers want to support the environment, but need more understanding of renewable technology

Home heating is still responsible for around 17% of the UK’s carbon emissions, and around 80% of domestic heating comes from gas. To combat this, the UK government is driving a move to lower carbon alternatives, including heat pumps, through programmes like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Heat pumps are three times more efficient than boilers to generate the same amount of heat. In a survey of 1,000 UK adults in June 2023, nearly half (42%) of Brits said they do have some interest in installing heat pump technology. However, understanding of heat pump technology is still low. Only 13% of respondents are currently aware of the environmental benefits that heat pumps offer, and 71% know little to nothing about how heat pump technology works. More broadly, over a third (34%) don’t know the most environmentally friendly ways to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Despite government efforts, UK heat pump uptake is currently far below the target of 600,000 annual installations by 2028 set by the UK government – just 60,000 were installed in 2022. To make the Net Zero target a reality, increasing consumer awareness and understanding will be vital.

Cost-of-living is the biggest influence on heat pump adoption

The cost-of-living crisis is a compelling factor influencing heat pump uptake. In fact, 64% of respondents said the main reason they were interested in, or had already installed, a heat pump was to save money on their energy bills over time.

At the same time, the factor deterring almost half (49%) of respondents from installing a heat pump is perceived high initial costs to purchase and install a system, followed by perceived high running costs (29%).

Russell Dean, Mitsubishi Electric’s Residential Products Group Director, said:

Heat pumps are a vital technology on the road to Net Zero, but their full potential is currently not being realised in the UK. To make Net Zero a reality, the government must do more to raise awareness among households on how they can lower their energy usage with heat pumps, and dispel any fears around cost and performance of the technology.

A call for government support

Respondents believe that the government has a big role to play in driving the move to Net Zero, in addition to individual efforts. The vast majority (80%) agree that the government has a responsibility to act to reduce carbon emissions, and 41% say the government should set a deadline for decarbonisation of the economy.

However, existing support put in place by the UK government has had limited success to date. For example, less than half of the budget of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme was used in its first year, partly due to a lack of clear communication to consumers.

The government is in a strong position to build greater consumer awareness around heat pumps and the move to Net Zero, but there is more work to be done. The government is the source of information that most consumers (32%) would engage with for advice on heat pumps, followed by heat pump manufacturers themselves (24%), local authorities (23%) and installers (23%).

But despite trusting the government for heat pump advice, less than half (41%) of Britons currently regard the government as being trustworthy when it comes to leading the broader fight against climate change.

To support the drive to Net Zero and heat pump uptake targets, the government must play a greater role in educating and supporting the public.

Jessica Long, Head of Ipsos ESG Consulting, says:

2026 is widely considered a critical date to achieve Net Zero targets and heat pumps are undoubtedly one of the resources we will need to utilise in order to reach this target. However, our research shows, that heat pump uptake is reliant on government intervention, both in the form of educating the public about the benefits of heat pumps, and providing cost-effective opportunities to install these systems. For the majority of people, their environmental choices are driven by co-benefits and in the current economic climate cost efficiencies will be a big part of any energy choices people make.

(Ipsos MORI)

23 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/brits-want-to-fight-climate-change-but-third-of-consumers-unaware-how-make-homes-greener

806-809-43-15/Polls

Environmentally Conscious Gamers: Action Games And Sustainable Electronics

A new YouGov audience analysis on the topic of "environmentally conscious gamers"

Environmental protection and sustainability are topics of growing importance in our society, and they also find their place in unexpected areas such as the gaming community. With the help of YouGov Profiles, the new "Environmentally Conscious Gamers" audience analysis reveals insights into the mindset and preferences of this consumer group.

Environmentally conscious gamers are more likely to be men (70 percent) aged 25 to 34 (31 vs. 15 percent of the total population). This target group is increasingly active in the IT sector (11 percent) and more than a fifth (22 percent) have a migration background. The group is career-focused: 38 percent are willing to sacrifice their free time to advance in their careers (vs. 32 percent of the total population).

In the digital space, eco-conscious gamers are extremely savvy and more likely to be active on platforms such as YouTube (65 percent vs. 44 percent of the total population) and Instagram (56 vs. 46 percent). 82 percent are convinced that artificial intelligence will play an important role in everyday life (vs. 67 percent of the total population). At home, they like to use smart speakers with voice control and smart home centers.

The target group is characterized by their pronounced environmental awareness and is more likely to believe that less driving (77 vs. 69 percent), environmentally friendly electronics (73 percent vs. 62 percent) and sustainable consumption (71 percent vs. 60 percent) are of great importance. Nearly four out of ten eco-conscious gamers (38 percent) would also be willing to pay a premium for air travel to offset their environmental footprint, while only 22 percent of the total population would be willing to do the same.

Three out of five eco-conscious gamers (59 percent) are interested in games that allow them to express their personality. In addition, 69 percent of this target group prefer to play games where they can create their own characters and stories in the game.

In terms of their game selection, the action/adventure genre is particularly popular among eco-conscious gamers (57 percent), followed by shooter games (43 percent). For their gaming experiences, this target group mainly uses Windows PCs or laptops, Sony Playstation 5 and smartphones.

The target group analysis shows that environmentally conscious gamers consider brands such as Audi, Lipton, Twitch and Grand Theft Auto, among others, more often than the general population.

(YouGov Germany)

03 August 2023

Source:https://yougov.de/topics/technology/articles-reports/2023/08/03/umweltbewusste-gamer-action-games-und-nachhaltige-

806-809-43-16/Polls

Almost One-In-Five (18%) Consumers Expect The Irish Economy To Improve In The Next Six Months

While we see a continued improvement in the consumer mood, many remain concerned about the outlook for the economy, with the cost of living crisis still weighing heavily on peoples’ minds. Consequently, consumers remain cautious on their plans for spending.

Clearly concerns over the rising cost-of-living continue to preoccupy the consumer mindset.

Despite this somewhat downbeat assessment of the prospects for the economy and cost-of-living, consumers are increasingly optimistic about the outlook for the jobs market. Even in the context of recent high-profile job losses in the technology and business services sectors, this no doubt reflects the sustained low level of unemployment and continued growth in employment observed over the last year.

In areas such as entertainment, consumer goods and services, and holidays / short breaks, the proportion of consumers that expect to spend less in the coming six months is more than double the proportion that plan to spend more, indicating a contraction in spending in these areas. Consumers are most likely being thriftier and making carefully considered choices as to how they spend their money.

(REDC Research)

15 August 2023

Source:https://www.redcresearch.ie/cmm_july23/

NORTH AMERICA

806-809-43-17/Polls

College Students Experience High Levels Of Worry And Stress

These results are based on a March 13-30, 2023, Gallup web survey with an opt-in panel sample of 2,430 students pursuing their bachelor’s degree at a four-year U.S. institution.

Female Students More Likely to Experience Negative Emotions

Female undergraduates, who represent the majority of currently enrolled U.S. college students, are more likely than their male peers to report experiencing negative daily emotions. Among all emotions evaluated, the greatest differences between male and female students are in the areas of worry and stress.

Approximately three-quarters of female students (72%) report experiencing stress a lot of the prior day, compared with 56% of male students. Likewise, 56% of female students report experiencing worry the prior day, compared with 40% of their male peers. Feelings of sadness are also much higher among female college students, and female students are less likely than male students to report experiencing enjoyment.

Daily negative emotions are generally similar among students from different racial/ethnic groups and by first-generation college student status.

Implications

Gallup research indicates Americans’ assessments of their mental health reached an all-time low in the winter of 2022. Unfortunately, high levels of negative daily emotions among college students are consistent with results from the Lumina Foundation-Gallup State of Higher Education 2022 study, which found emotional stress was a major reason currently enrolled students considered stopping out in the fall of 2022.

Feelings of stress, worry, loneliness and sadness have challenged higher education institutions in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and they are likely to continue into the fall of 2023. Incoming students require significant support to overcome the stressors they will face to be able to complete their postsecondary experience and launch successfully into life after graduation.

(Gallup)

10 August 2023

Source:https://www.gallup.com/education/509231/college-students-experience-high-levels-worry-stress.aspx

806-809-43-18/Polls

Four In 10 College Students Have Had Internship Experience

Roughly four in 10 currently enrolled college students nationally, 41%, have had an internship while pursuing their bachelor’s degree, according to newly released data from Gallup.

These results are based on web survey responses collected March 13-30, 2023, from 2,430 students pursuing their bachelor’s degree at a four-year private not-for-profit, private for-profit, or public U.S. institution. Overall rates include those attending private for-profit colleges; however, rates are not reported among private for-profit institutions for sample size reasons.

Difficulty in Obtaining Internship Is Top Reason for Not Having One

Three in 10 bachelor’s students who have not had an internship cite the difficulty in obtaining one as their primary barrier. Another 23% say it is hard to find an internship that interests them, 20% say they cannot afford to have one, and 17% cite the need to relocate for an internship as the reason for not obtaining one.

One-quarter of students without an internship say they are not interested in getting one.

Students’ reasons for not having an internship are similar regardless of the type of institution they attend (public vs. private), their Pell Grant status or whether they were the first in their family to attend college. This underscores the consistency in challenges students have accessing internships.

Implications

Internships can play a crucial role in providing students with valuable workforce experience and the opportunity to explore jobs and industries while seeking fulfilling career paths. Additionally, prior Gallup research has shown that recent graduates who had a job or internship relevant to their degree while enrolled were more than twice as likely to secure a good job immediately after graduation.

These data show that less than half of bachelor’s students have had an internship, and internship rates are even lower for first-generation college students and those at public colleges. Students face difficulties in finding internships that match their interests as well as practical barriers like the need for more pay or to relocate. To foster more equitable pathways for students to identify and access the right career fields for them, higher education institutions should work to ensure college students have ready access to relevant internship opportunities and help to lower the barriers currently preventing some students from accessing them.

(Gallup)

16 August 2023

Source:https://www.gallup.com/education/509468/four-college-students-internship-experience.aspx

806-809-43-19/Polls

U.S. Cigarette Smoking Rate Steady Near Historical Low

The update is part of Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits survey, conducted July 3-27.

When Gallup first asked about cigarette smoking in 1944, 41% of U.S. adults said they smoked. A decade later, a historical high of 45% was reached. From then, smoking rates gradually descended, falling permanently below 30% in 1989 and 20% in 2015.

The decline in smoking has come as more Americans likely heed the warnings about the health dangers associated with cigarette smoking and as most public places prohibit it. The survey finds 76% of U.S. adults saying cigarettes are “very harmful” to people who use them, significantly more than for other tobacco-related products like pipes and cigars, as well as other substances like marijuana and alcohol.

A major reason for the decline in smoking is that fewer young adults today than in prior decades are smoking cigarettes. Typically, young adults had much higher smoking rates than other age groups. Whereas 35% of young adults said they smoked cigarettes in 2001-2003, the figure has dropped to 10% in 2019-2023 data.

Not only has the percentage of U.S. smokers declined, but so has the amount of smoking among current smokers. Since 2021, an average of 21% of U.S. smokers have said they consume a pack of cigarettes per day, and 6% smoke more than one pack. In the 1940s and 1950s, close to four in 10 smoked a pack per day, and about 20% smoked more than that.

During the 21st century, majorities have smoked less than a pack per day, including an average of 71% since 2021.

Vaping Rates Steady

In addition to asking about cigarette smoking, the poll asked about vaping, or e-cigarette smoking. Eight percent of U.S. adults say they smoked e-cigarettes in the past week, consistent with what Gallup has measured on three other occasions since 2019.

Young adults are the most likely to vape, with those under age 30 more than twice as likely as any other age group to smoke e-cigarettes.

In fact, vaping is now more common than cigarette smoking among young adults (18% vs. 10%, respectively). But marijuana usage surpasses both of those products among young adults; since 2019, an average of 27% of 18- to 29-year-olds have said they smoke marijuana.

Americans are less likely to view vaping than cigarette smoking as harmful to health, but a majority of 54% still see vaping as “very harmful.” Just 23% say the same about marijuana, though another 35% say it is “somewhat harmful.”

Americans continue to favor making the laws and regulations on vaping more strict. Fifty-five percent hold that view, with 32% wanting the laws to be kept as they are and 7% wanting them to be less strict. Majorities ranging from 54% to 64% have favored tightening vaping regulations over the past four years.

Bottom Line

Cigarettes continue to fall out of favor with Americans, as only about one in eight U.S. adults now smoke them. Marijuana usage has surpassed cigarette usage in the U.S., while vaping still trails both. These changes seem to be driven by changing habits among young adults, who are more likely to smoke marijuana and e-cigarettes than cigarettes, and far less likely than young adults in past decades to smoke cigarettes.

The fact that Americans generally view cigarettes as the most harmful of the three suggests that public health efforts to discourage cigarette smoking have been getting through. Still, most Americans view vaping and marijuana as at least somewhat harmful to health, and public health experts who agree may want to make sure young adults get those messages too.

(Gallup)

18 August 2023

Source:https://news.gallup.com/poll/509720/cigarette-smoking-rate-steady-near-historical-low.aspx

806-809-43-20/Polls

In U.S., 4% Identify As Vegetarian, 1% As Vegan

Gallup’s latest Consumption Habits poll finds 4% of Americans saying they are vegetarian and 1% vegan, in terms of their eating preferences. These figures are similar to what Gallup has measured previously, including in 2012 and 2018.

The July 3-27 poll update suggests there may have been a slight decline in vegetarianism compared with the earliest readings in 1999 and 2001, when 6% identified that way.

There is a small degree of overlap in identification as vegetarian and vegan, as less than 1% of U.S. adults say they are both vegetarian and vegan. That is about what Gallup has found historically, but most vegetarians and vegans identify as only one or the other.

Liberals, Low-Income Adults More Likely to Follow Vegetarian Diet

In prior reports, Gallup found that political liberals and lower-income adults were among the subgroups most likely to be vegetarian, and that remains the case in the latest update. Nine percent of liberals today are vegetarian, higher than in any other key subgroup Gallup analyzed, and three times the rate of political moderates and conservatives.

Meanwhile, lower-income Americans (7%) are about twice as likely as middle- (4%) and upper-income (3%) Americans to be vegetarians.

Additionally, women (6%) are more likely than men (2%) to say they eat a vegetarian diet.

In some previous surveys, Gallup found significant age and racial group differences in vegetarian eating preferences, but that is not the case in the current survey.

With 1% of Americans having vegan eating preferences, it is difficult to discern any meaningful subgroup differences in those who follow that type of diet. In all key subgroups, the percentage who are vegan is in the 1% to 3% range.

Bottom Line

Plant-based meat-substitute food products are becoming more commonplace in grocery stores and restaurants. In 2019, Gallup found that half of Americans were familiar with such products, and four in 10 had tried them. Americans who reported a reduction in their meat consumption typically cited health and environmental reasons for doing so. But these changes have not been met with an increase in Americans’ adoption of vegetarian or vegan diets, as less than 5% of U.S. adults follow either eating approach.

(Gallup)

24 August 2023

Source:https://news.gallup.com/poll/510038/identify-vegetarian-vegan.aspx

806-809-43-21/Polls

More Than 4 In 10 U.S. Workers Don’t Take All Their Paid Time Off

Some 46% of U.S. workers who receive paid time off from their employer – whether for vacation, doctor’s appointments or minor illnesses – take less time than they are offered, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

A bar chart showing that more than 4 in 10 workers who get paid time off say they take less time off than their employer allows.

There are also differences by education level. About half of workers who have a bachelor’s degree or more education (51%) say they take less time off than what is offered, compared with 41% of workers with less education.

Among workers who receive paid time off, there are also differences by pay type, managerial status and industry when it comes to using that benefit:

■ Salaried workers are more likely than hourly workers to take less paid time off than their employer offers (52% vs. 39%).

■ Managers are more likely than nonmanagers to say they take less time off than available (54% vs. 42%).

■ 68% of workers in education and 57% in government, public administration or the military say they take less time off than offered. These are higher than the shares in other industries who say the same.

When workers who don’t take all their time off are asked why, some reasons are more common than others. About half of those who don’t take all their time off (52%) say they don’t feel they need to take more. A similar share (49%) say they’d worry about falling behind at work if they took more time off. Some 43% of workers who don’t take all their time off say they’d feel badly about their co-workers taking on additional work.

Workers’ reasons for not taking more time off also vary by demographic and job characteristics, including race, gender and years with their employer:

■ Women are more likely than men to say that feeling badly about co-workers taking on additional work is a reason they take less time off than offered (48% vs. 39%). Women ages 18 to 49 are especially likely to say this, compared with men of the same age group (53% vs. 43%).

■ Black workers are more likely than White workers to say that the risk of losing their job is a reason they take less time off than what is offered (21% vs. 13%).

■ About a quarter (24%) of workers who have been with their employer for less than a year say that the risk of losing their job is a reason they don’t take more time off. A similar share (21%) of workers who have been with their employer for between one and five years say this. More tenured workers are less likely to say this is a reason they don’t take all their available time off (11% say this).

(PEW)

10 August 2023

Source:https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/10/more-than-4-in-10-u-s-workers-dont-take-all-their-paid-time-off/

806-809-43-22/Polls

Growing Share Of Americans Favor More Nuclear Power

As the first new U.S. nuclear power reactor since 2016 begins operations, more Americans now say they favor expanding nuclear power in the United States than a few years ago, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

A majority of Americans (57%) say they favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity in the country, up from 43% who said this in 2020.

A line chart showing that support for nuclear power is up among both Democrats and Republicans.

Americans are still far more likely to say they favor more solar power (82%) and wind power (75%) than nuclear power. All three energy sources emit no carbon.

Advocates for nuclear power argue it could play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions from electricity generation. Critics highlight the high cost of nuclear power plant projects and the complexities of handling radioactive waste.

Support for nuclear power has increased among both parties since 2020. Half of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents now say they favor expanding nuclear power, an increase from 37% in 2020. And two-thirds of Republicans and Republican leaners now favor more nuclear power, up 14 percentage points since 2020, when 53% said they support more nuclear power.

A bar chart showing that two-thirds of U.S. adults say the federal government should encourage production of wind and solar power.

When asked about the federal government’s role, 41% of Americans say it should encourage the production of nuclear power. Some 22% think the federal government should discourage the production of nuclear power, and 36% think it should neither encourage nor discourage it. The share of Americans who think the federal government should encourage nuclear power production is up 6 points from last year.

Still, a far larger share of Americans think the federal government should encourage the production of wind and solar power (66%).

Gender, partisan differences in views of nuclear power

Attitudes on nuclear power production have long differed by gender and party affiliation.

Men are about twice as likely as women to say the federal government should encourage the production of nuclear power (54% vs. 28%). Similarly, men are far more likely than women to favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity (71% vs. 44%).

Views differ by gender globally, too, according to a Center survey conducted from fall 2019 to spring 2020. In 18 of the 20 survey publics, men were more likely than women to favor using more nuclear power as a source of domestic energy.

In the U.S., Republicans are more likely than Democrats to favor more nuclear power and to say the federal government should encourage its production.

A dot plot showing that Republicans and Democrats less divided on favoring more nuclear power than on fossil fuel sources.

Two-thirds of Republicans say they favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity, compared with half of Democrats.

Republicans have supported nuclear power expansion in greater shares than Democrats each time this question has been asked since 2016.

The 17-point partisan difference on nuclear power is smaller than those for other energy sources, including fossil fuel sources such as offshore oil and gas drilling (48 points) and coal mining (47 points).

A look at U.S. nuclear power reactors

An area chart showing the number of U.S. nuclear power reactors has gradually declined over the past three decades.

The U.S. currently has 93 nuclear power reactors, plus one that’s under construction in Georgia. These reactors collectively generated 18.2% of all U.S. electricity in 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Half (47) of the United States’ nuclear power reactors are in the South, while about a quarter (22) are in the Midwest. There are 18 reactors in the Northeast and six in the West, according to data from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The number of U.S. reactors has steadily fallen since peaking at 111 in 1990. Nine Mile Point-1, located in Scriba, New York, is the oldest U.S. nuclear power reactor still in operation. It was first connected to the power grid in November 1969. Most of the 93 current reactors began operations in the 1970s (41 reactors) or 1980s (44), according to data from the IAEA. (The IAEA classifies reactors as “operational” from their first electrical grid connection to their date of permanent shutdown.)

One of the many reasons nuclear power projects have dwindled in recent decades may be perceived dangers following nuclear accidents in the U.S. and abroad. For example, the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident led the Japanese government to greatly decrease its reliance on nuclear power and prompted other countries to rethink their nuclear energy plans. More recently, Russian military attacks in Ukraine have raised fears of nuclear power plant accidents in the area.

(PEW)

18 August 2023

Source:https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/18/growing-share-of-americans-favor-more-nuclear-power/

806-809-43-23/Polls

Americans Are Divided On Whether Society Overlooks Racial Discrimination Or Sees It Where It Doesn’t Exist

Ahead of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington for Black Americans’ civil rights, we asked U.S. adults what they think is the bigger problem when it comes to racial discrimination in the country today.

A line chart showing that views on racial discrimination are more evenly divided today than in 2019.

■ 53% say people not seeing racial discrimination where it really does exist is the bigger problem.

■ 45% point to people seeing racial discrimination where it really doesn’t exist as the larger issue.

Views on this have changed in recent years, according to Pew Research Center surveys. In 2019, 57% said people overlooking racial discrimination was the bigger problem, while 42% pointed to people seeing it where it really didn’t exist. That gap has narrowed from 15 to 8 percentage points.

Americans’ current views on this question differ greatly by:

■ Race and ethnicity: 88% of Black adults say people overlooking discrimination is the bigger problem. Smaller majorities of Asian (66%) and Hispanic (58%) adults say the same, as do 45% of White adults.

A bar chart that shows views on racial discrimination differ by race, ethnicity and political party.

■ Partisanship: 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say people not seeing racial discrimination where it does exist is the larger issue. About three-quarters (74%) of Republicans and Republican leaners give the opposite answer.

How views on racial discrimination differ within political parties

Majorities of Republicans across age groups say people seeing racial discrimination where it doesn’t exist is the larger issue. But Republicans ages 50 and older are more likely than those under 50 to say this (78% vs. 68%).

Among Democrats, age differences aren’t as large, but there are differences by race and ethnicity. Hispanic Democrats are the most likely to say people seeing discrimination where it doesn’t exist is the bigger problem. Some 29% say this, compared with 20% of Asian Democrats, 19% of White Democrats and 8% of Black Democrats.

(PEW)

25 August 2023

Source:https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/25/americans-are-divided-on-whether-society-overlooks-racial-discrimination-or-sees-it-where-it-doesnt-exist/

806-809-43-24/Polls

Majority Of Americans Say U.S. Is One Of The Greatest Countries In The World

The share of Americans who say the United States stands above all other nations in the world has declined modestly over the past four years, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. There has also been an increase in the share who say other countries are better than the U.S.

A bar chart showing that, since 2019, modest decline in share of adults who say the U.S. is the best country in the world.

Opinions about the nation’s global standing have changed slightly since 2019. That year, 24% said the U.S. is the single greatest nation, 55% said it is one of the best countries, and 21% said other countries are better than the U.S.

Much of this recent change in attitudes has come from Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. Four years ago, 40% of Republicans said the U.S. stands above all other nations, compared with 31% today. And the share of Republicans saying other countries are better has nearly doubled, from 9% to 17%.

At the same time, Democrats and Democratic leaners have grown slightly more likely to say there are other countries that are better than the U.S.: In 2019, 31% said this, compared with 36% today.

Age divides in attitudes about U.S. persist

A bar chart that shows half of Democrats ages 18 to 29 say other countries are better than the U.S.

As has been the case for more than a decade, views of how America compares with other countries differ by age. Roughly four-in-ten adults ages 18 to 29 (43%) say other countries are better than the U.S. – the highest share of any age group.

Age differences are evident within both partisan coalitions. Half of Democrats under age 30 say other countries are better than the U.S., as do 40% of those 30 to 49. By comparison, just 25% of Democrats 50 and older say this.

Among Republicans, 28% of adults under 30 say other countries are superior to the U.S., compared with 12% of those 50 and older. And younger Republicans are considerably less likely than older Republicans to say the U.S. is the greatest nation: 16% of those ages 18 to 29 say this, compared with 26% of those 30 to 49, 36% of those 50 to 64 and 41% of those 65 and older.

How partisans’ views of U.S. standing have changed over time

Republicans have long been more likely than Democrats to see the U.S. as the single greatest nation, while Democrats have been more likely to say there are other countries that are better. Still, the most frequent response among both Republicans and Democrats continues to be that the U.S. is one of the world’s greatest countries, along with others.

A bar chart showing that partisan differences in U.S. views of America’s global standing.

The share of adults saying the U.S. stands above all other countries dropped significantly in telephone surveys conducted between 2011 and 2019. While the decline in views of the United States’ global standing was concentrated among Democrats during these years, the decline over the past four years is concentrated among Republicans.

(PEW)

29 August 2023

Source:https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/29/majority-of-americans-say-us-is-one-of-the-greatest-countries-in-the-world/

806-809-43-25/Polls

Another Six In Ten (61%) Can’t Or Don’t Want To Pay More In Taxes To Fight Climate Change

This research also demonstrates that geopolitical issues remain in the spotlight as six in ten Canadians (63%) believe that their province should extract its own natural gas in order to export some to Europe and reduce its dependency on Russian gas. Again, we find higher levels of support in Alberta (77%) as well as in other Western provinces (Prairies 68%, and BC 64%).

Steady interest for oil and gas extraction in Quebec

Half (51%) of Quebecers are favorable to extracting Quebec’s own oil resource as opposed to relying on imports, with this proportion rising among the youngest group of residents (57% for those aged 18-34 vs. 47% for those 55+). Conversely, three in ten (30%) Quebecers believe the province should continue to import 100% of the oil it needs, consistent with 2022.

In line with last year, eight in ten Quebecers (78%) prefer to see their province import oil from Western Canada compared to other source countries. Slightly fewer (7%, -2 pts) would rather import oil from the United States.

Based on Hydro-Québec's electricity surpluses projected to run out around 2027, six in ten (62%) Quebecers agree that independent private producers should be allowed to sell electricity directly to companies to complement Hydro-Québec’s offer.

A detailed report containing all results for this survey on important energy matters for Canada can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

(Ipsos Canada)

22 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/over-six-ten-canadians-in-favour-of-increasing-carbon-sequestration-incentive-measures

806-809-43-26/Polls

Majority Say Climate Change Is ‘crisis’ That Needs Immediate Action; 10 Per Cent Say It’s Hopeless

As fires threaten Kelowna and Yellowknife, the latter forcing the evacuation of 20,000, Canadians continue to experience a summer of smoke. And while seven-in-10 Canadians say this fire season has been terrible or worse than average in their province, the future looks more ominous and has some considering a move to avoid subsequent smoky summers.

For those affected by wildfires or smoke in the past five years, one-in-eight (13%) say they would consider relocating to a place that feels safer. Young adults say this is on their mind at higher rates (24%) than others as they consider where to set down roots and build their lives. Climate migration in Canada may be a new concept, but this research suggests it is on the minds of many.

Overall, Canadians are close to twice as likely to say that climate change is directly contributing to worsening fire seasons than not. Three-in-five (59%) hold this view, while one-in-three (33%) disagree.

While the machinations of daily life and how to cope with these environmental challenges hum along, existential questions ride alongside them for many Canadians. Three-in-five Canadians (63%) say that climate change represents a “crisis” that society must address urgently to overcome. One-in-10 (10%) believe the opportunity to act has already passed. Another group of one-in-nine Canadians (11%) – including one-quarter of past Conservative voters (24%) – say that nothing needs to be done and the situation is fine as it is.

More Key Findings:

● Overall, nine-in-10 Canadians (89%) say that climate change is happening and not up for debate. That said, this group is partially divided into those who feel it is human caused (67%) or a natural cycle (22%).

● One-in-five (19%) in B.C. and one-in-six (16%) in Alberta who have been affected by smoke or fire in recent years say they are considering moving elsewhere to be less affected by wildfire seasons to come.

● The wildfires have directly threatened many regions of the country while the resulting smoke has had widespread impacts. One-in-five (20%) who have been touched by smoke this fire season say their health problems have worsened because of the poor air quality.

About ARI

The Angus Reid Institute (ARI) was founded in October 2014 by pollster and sociologist, Dr. Angus Reid. ARI is a national, not-for-profit, non-partisan public opinion research foundation established to advance education by commissioning, conducting and disseminating to the public accessible and impartial statistical data, research and policy analysis on economics, political science, philanthropy, public administration, domestic and international affairs and other socio-economic issues of importance to Canada and its world.

INDEX

Part One: As fires rage, Canadians see urgency in climate crisis

● Canadians endure a “terrible” year of wildfires

● More than half feel fires will worsen in coming decades, few see hope for improvement

● Most say climate change human caused, responsible for intensifying fire season

● Three-in-five say action needed now, one-in-10 say it’s already too late

Part Two: How fires have affected Canadians this summer

● Smoke keeping many inside, worsening health problems for one-in-five impacted

● One-in-eight affected by recent wildfires consider moving

Part One: As fires rage, Canadians see urgency in climate crisis

Before the end of summer, officials had already declared 2023 to be the worst wildfire season ever recorded in Canada. There have been more than 5,500 reported fires that have burned more than 13.4 million hectares. The latter figure represents six-fold the average seen in the last decade of wildfire seasons of 2.2 million hectares burned. The fight to contain the fires has cost the lives of at least four firefighters as Canada has enlisted help from the United States, Mexico and overseas to stop the spread of flames.

Canadians endure a “terrible” year of fires

The severity and frequency of the fires have not gone unnoticed by most Canadians. More than four-in-five (84%) say this wildfire season has been worse than average, including half (51%) who say this has been a “terrible” year for wildfire activity.

Regionally, those in Quebec are the most likely to say it has been a bad year for wildfires in their province. Quebec has had the most area burned so far this fire season.

More than two-in-five (44%) in Atlantic Canada say regionally they’ve had a worse-than-average year for fires. The Barrington Lake Fire in May and June was the worst in Nova Scotia’s recorded history. The fires came as a surprise to some in Atlantic Canada, given the typically wet and mild weather in the region. However, atypical dry conditions perhaps led to the size and speed of the Barrington Lake Fire’s spread.

More than half feel fires will worsen in coming decades, few see hope for improvement

As Canadians watch a record amount of the country burn, there is little optimism there will be better summers for wildfires in the future. A majority (55%) believe wildfires will continue to worsen. One-quarter (26%) expect future fire seasons to present a challenge, but no more than they already are. Few (8%) expect improvement:

Perspectives over what the future holds are not uniform. For past Liberal or New Democrat voters, three-quarters anticipate worse summers to come. For past CPC voters, fewer than half as many say this, but a majority still say the situation will persist (38%) or worsen (30%):

Most say climate change human caused, responsible for intensifying fire season

Canadian’s pessimism aligns with the expectations of climate scientists, who believe wildfires will continue to worsen as the climate becomes hotter and drier in many areas around the world.

Among Canadians, two-thirds (67%) believe climate change is a fact and it is caused by human activities. One-in-five (22%) agree climate change is happening, but quibble with the cause, instead believing it is caused by natural cycles. Seven per cent disagree that climate change is a fact at all and instead call it a theory.

The latter group has halved in the past decade. Meanwhile, the percentage of Canadians who describe it as human-caused has declined from a high of seven-in-10 (71%) seen in 2021:

Canadians are less convinced this destructive fire season is directly linked to climate change despite the widespread belief that the climate is changing. Still, most (59%) say this record wildfire season is directly linked to the changing climate. One-third (33%) disagree, including more than two-in-five men over the age of 34. Women are much more likely to say there is a direct link between climate change and this record wildfire season in Canada:

Among past voters of the country’s four largest political parties, only those who voted Conservative in 2021 disagree that there is a direct link between this spate of wildfires and climate change at a majority level. Otherwise, at least seven-in-10 past Liberal (80%), NDP (82%) and Bloc Québécois voters (71%) say climate change has had a direct influence on wildfires this year:

*Smaller sample size, interpret with caution

Three-in-five say action needed now, one-in-10 say it’s already too late

The summer has perhaps brought a renewed focus on the climate emergency for Canadians. As the fires burn, and smoke spreads, Canadians also have been dealing with record heat in some areas of the country.

Overall, three-in-five (61%) describe climate change as a “crisis” that needs an immediate response. One-in-10 (10%) have given up hope that humans will turn things around. On the other side of the spectrum, one-in-six (16%) see the changing climate as a problem, but one that doesn’t need to be immediately addressed. A further one-in-nine (11%) don’t believe anything needs to be done.

Past CPC voters are much more likely to be in the latter group (24%) than other political supporters. In fact, those who voted Conservative in 2021 are the only group of party supporters who don’t describe climate change as a “crisis” at majority levels. Nearly all past Liberal, NDP and BQ voters believe quick action on climate change is needed:

Age appears to be a factor in how Canadians view the issue of climate change. Canadians aged 35 to 64 are more likely than others to believe nothing needs to be done. However, a majority of all age groups believe climate change to be a crisis which needs immediate action:

Part Two: How fires have affected Canadians this summer

Wildfires have affected wide swaths of the country, including areas such as Nova Scotia that typically go unscathed, as noted above. When this data was taken, four-in-five (83%) say smoke had impacted their summer, more than two-in-five (44%) who described it as bad or hugely disruptive (see detailed tables).

However, many more have been affected by fire and smoke in recent days, with fires threatening the cities of Kelowna and Yellowknife. (Note, the small populations of the territories preclude drawing discrete samples over multiple waves. Data from the territories is not released.)

Smoke keeping many inside, worsening health problems for one-in-five impacted

The fire and smoke of this record wildfire season have had wide-reaching impacts. Half (53%) of those affected by either the smoke or wildfire say poor air quality is keeping them inside more than they would like to be during the warmer weather. Others in the path of the flames and fumes say they are experiencing direct health effects (20%), while others report more indirect ones – not exercising as much as they would like (25%). At the time of this survey, one-in-eight (13%) affected by this wildfire season say they’ve felt the stress of worrying about potential property damage to their own or friends’ and family’s homes:

*Smaller sample size, interpret with caution

One-in-eight affected by recent wildfires consider moving

The severity of this wildfire season has some considering how they can avoid the effects of smoke and fire in the future. One-in-eight (13%) say they would consider moving somewhere else after being affected by wildfire or smoke in the past five years. Canadians under 35 – and especially women – are the most likely to consider relocating:

One-in-five in B.C. (19%) and one-six in Alberta (16%) affected by recent wildfires and smoke say moving to avoid future wildfire seasons is something on their mind. Those two provinces are home to some of the worst fires of previous years when it comes to damage to towns and cities. The 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire was the costliest disaster in Canadian history, while wildfires in 2017 in B.C. destroyed more than 300 buildings. In 2021, a wildfire destroyed most of the village of Lytton, B.C., killing two people.

(Angus Reid Institute)

22 August 2023

Source:https://angusreid.org/canada-record-wildfires-smoke-climate-change/

AUSTRALIA

806-809-43-27/Polls

Readership Of Magazines Is Up 4.1% From A Year Ago With Increases In Readership For All Magazine Categories

This market broadens to 15 million Australians aged 14+ (69.5%) who read magazines in print or online either via the web or an app, a small drop of 1.8 per cent from a year ago. These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan Single Source survey of 66,234 Australians aged 14+ in the 12 months to June 2023.

Print readership increased for all 17 magazine categories compared to a year ago as readership rebounded following the end of the pandemic restrictions

The increases in readership were widespread over the last year as pandemic-era restrictions were finally lifted by October 2022 with all 17 magazine categories increasing their readership on a year ago.

There were eight magazine categories to increase their total readership by more than 100,000 people compared to a year ago led by all seven categories with a readership of 950,000+.

The most widely read category of Food & Entertainment magazines increased its print readership by 3.4 per cent to 7,377,000 ahead of Home & Garden magazines, up a large 14.1 per cent to 4,183,000.

The print readership of General Interest magazines, the third most widely read magazine category, was up 2.5 per cent to 4,123,000 and Mass Women’s magazines were up 8.6 per cent to 2,869,000.

There were also improvements for Health & Family magazines, up 16.8 per cent to 1,378,000 and Business, Financial & Airline magazines, up a large 33.9 per cent to 1,236,000 and Women’s Fashion Magazines, up 21.2 per cent to 960,000 and Men’s Lifestyle Magazines, up 41.6 per cent to 415,000.

Eight of the top 10 magazines increased their print readership over the past year with Better Homes & Gardens and The Australian Women’s Weekly again the most widely read paid magazines

An impressive eight of the top 10 most widely read magazines increased their print readership over the last year and looking more broadly a impressive 21 out of the top 25.

Better Homes & Gardens is Australia’s most widely read paid magazine with print readership of 1,821,000, up 15.7 per cent on a year ago ahead of the The Australian Women’s Weekly on 1,328,000, up 10.5 per cent. These two magazines continue to be the only two paid magazines with a readership of over 1 million.

In addition, National Geographic has an impressive and growing print readership, up 17.2 per cent to 959,000 – the largest increase of any of the top 15 magazines – to be Australia’s third most widely read paid magazine ahead of Woman’s Day, up 13.8 per cent to 827,000.

Fresh Ideas & Coles magazine are the most widely read with almost 5 million readers each

Australia's two most widely read free magazines are Fresh Ideas (from Woolworths) with a growing print readership of 4,935,000, up 4.4 per cent on a year ago just ahead of Coles magazine with readership increasing 1.9 per cent to 4,923,000.

Bunnings magazine is the third most widely read free magazine with a print readership of 1,742,000, up 14.9 per cent on a year ago, ahead of the NRMA’s magazine Open Road (NSW) which rounds out the top four free magazines with a readership of 1,275,000.

Other magazines to increase their print readership over the past year included House & Garden, up 16.6 per cent to 673,000, Take 5 Bumper Monthly, up 13 per cent to 584,000, That’s Life Mega Monthly, up 3.1 per cent to 557,000, Take 5 (Weekly), up 5 per cent to 505,000, That’s Life!, up 5.3 per cent to 494,000, Australian Geographic, up 10.7 per cent to 474,000, Gardening Australia, up 7.5 per cent to 456,000, Qantas Magazine, up a large 34.4 per cent to 449,000, Vogue Australia, up 27.6 per cent to 449,000, TV Week, up 21.5 per cent to 413,000, AFL Record, up 97.5 per cent to 393,000, Home Beautiful, up 17 per cent to 372,000 and Reader’s Digest Australia, up 4.7 per cent to 360,000.

Top 25 Magazines by print readership – June 2023 (Magazines in green are up on a year ago)

Publication	June 2022	June 2023	% Change
	‘000s	‘000s	%
Fresh Ideas	4,725	4,935	4.4%
Coles magazine	4,829	4,923	1.9%
Better Homes & Gardens	1,574	1,821	15.7%
Bunnings magazine	1,516	1,742	14.9%
The Australian Women’s Weekly	1,202	1,328	10.5%
Open Road (NSW)	1,289	1,275	-1.1%
National Geographic	818	959	17.2%
Woman’s Day	727	827	13.8%
Taste.com.au Magazine	810	687	-15.2%
House & Garden	577	673	16.6%
Road Ahead (Qld)	659	643	-2.4%
Take 5 Bumper Monthly	517	584	13.0%
New Idea	604	583	-3.5%
That’s Life! Mega Monthly	540	557	3.1%
Take 5 (Weekly)	481	505	5.0%
That’s Life!	469	494	5.3%
Australian Geographic	428	474	10.7%
Gardening Australia	424	456	7.5%
Qantas Magazine*	334	449	34.4%
Vogue Australia	352	449	27.6%
Men’s Health	293	415	41.6%
TV Week	340	413	21.5%
AFL Record (Apr-Sep)	199	393	97.5%
Home Beautiful	318	372	17.0%
Reader’s Digest Australia	344	360	4.7%

Full Magazi ne Print Readership Results available to view here. *Reporting period covers in-flight distribution.

The five most read categories of magazines by print readership

● Food & Entertainment (7,377,000 Australians, 34.1% of the population);

● Home & Garden (4,183,000 Australians, 19.3% of the population);

● General Interest (4,123,000 Australians, 19.1% of the population);

● Mass Women’s (2,869,000 Australians, 13.3% of the population);

● Health & Family (1,378,000 Australians, 6.4% of the population).

Food & Entertainment magazines number one with total print readership of almost 7.4 million

Food & Entertainment is again Australia's best performing magazine category and is now read by 7,377,000 Australians, or 34.1% of the population – over 3 million ahead of any other category. This is an increase of over 240,000, up 3.4 per cent, on a year ago with four out of the eight titles in the category increasing their print readership compared to a year ago.

The free supermarket titles remain the clear leaders in the category led by Woolworth’s Fresh Ideas read by 4,935,000 Australians, up 210,000 (up 4.4 per cent) on a year ago, just ahead of Coles magazine with a print readership of 4,923,000, up 94,000 (up 1.9 per cent).

There were also increases for Australian Gourmet Traveller, up 23.1 per cent to readership of 224,000 and Cooking with Australian Women’s Weekly, up 17.7 per cent to a readership of 113,000.

Home & Garden magazines are in second place and read by nearly 4.2 million Australians

Home & Garden magazines are now read by 4,183,000 Australians, up a large 516,000 (up 14.1 per cent) on a year ago accounting for almost one-in-five Australians (19.3% of the population). There were a majority of ten (out of 17) magazines in the category to increase their print readership on a year ago.

Australia’s most widely read paid magazine is again Better Homes & Gardens with a print readership of 1,821,000 – almost 500,000 more than any other paid magazine and up 15.7 per cent on a year ago.

The second most widely read is the freely available Bunnings magazine which is now read by 1,742,000, up 14.9 per cent on a year ago, and is the only other magazine in the category with a readership over 1 million.

Other well-known and widely read magazines in this category include House & Garden with a growing readership of 673,000, up 16.6 per cent on a year ago, Gardening Australia with a readership of 456,000, up 7.5 per cent on a year ago, Home Beautiful with a readership of 372,000, up 17.0 per cent on a year ago and Vogue Living with a readership of 244,000, up 17.9 per cent on a year ago.

Other magazines to grow their print readership over the last year were Organic Gardener, up 48 per cent to 188,000, Inside Out, up 13.8 per cent to 124,000, Australian Country Homes, up 46.3 per cent to 98,000 and Backyard & Outdoor Living, up 30.6 per cent to 64,000.

Print readership of General Interest magazines increases to over 4.1 million during 2022-23

4,123,000 Australians, or 19.1% of the population, read at least one of the general interest magazines, up 101,000 (up 2.5 per cent) on a year ago. Of the 14 magazines in the category, five increased their print readership from a year ago.

National Geographic was the most widely read paid magazine in the category with a print readership of 959,000, an impressive increase of 17.2 per cent on a year ago, ahead of Australian Geographic with a print readership of 474,000 (up 10.7 per cent) and Reader’s Digest Australia with a print readership of 360,000 after an increase of 4.7 per cent.

There were also strong performances by several motoring magazines: Open Road (NSW) read by 1,275,000, Road Ahead (Qld) now read by 643,000, Horizons (WA) read by 265,000, SA Motor (SA) read by 227,000 and Journeys (Tasmania), up 9.1 per cent to 36,000.

Another magazine to grow their print readership was Big Issue, up 31.1 per cent to 287,000.

Mass Women’s magazines are read by over 2.8 million Australians in 2022-23

Mass Women’s magazines are now read by 2,869,000 Australians equal to 13.3 per cent of the population, and up 8.6 per cent on a year ago. The category include six magazines read by more than 500,000 people – more than any other category.

Easily the most widely read magazine in the category is The Australian Women’s Weekly with a print readership of 1,328,000, an increase of 10.5 per cent on a year ago ahead of second-placed Woman’s Day with a readership of 827,000, up 13.8 per cent on a year ago.

The popular ‘competition-focused’ magazines are also widely read led by Take 5 Bumper Monthly with a readership of 584,000, an increase of 13 per cent on a year ago, That’s Life! Mega Monthly read by 557,000, up 3.1 per cent, Take 5 (Weekly) with a readership of 505,000, up 5 per cent on a year ago and That’s Life, up 5.3 per cent from a year ago and read by 494,000.

Another widely read magazine in the category is the fourth-placed New Idea with a readership of 583,000 while also increasing in readership, during a year in which Queen Elizabeth passed on and King Charles ascended to the throne, was Royals Monthly (by New Idea) read by 265,000, up 23.8 per cent on a year ago – the largest increase for any magazine in the category.

Health & Family magazines increase their print readership by 16.8% from a year ago

Overall the Health & Family magazines print readership increased by a substantial 16.8 per cent to 1,378,000 (6.4% of the population) – the largest increase of any of the top five magazine categories.

Five of the six magazines in the category experienced an increase in print readership over the last year led by Diabetic Living, up 33.2 per cent to 269,000 and WellBeing, up 35.6 per cent to 217,000.

There were other large increases in print readership for Wellbeing Wild, up 30 per cent to 52,000 and Prevention, up 14.7 per cent to 78,000.

Women’s Fashion and Women’s Lifestyle lead categories increasing their readership

There was growth in several smaller magazine categories with the Women’s Fashion, Women’s Lifestyle, Business, Financial & Airline, Motoring, Men’s Lifestyle, Music & Movies, Motorcycle, Fishing, TV and Crafts categories all increasing their print readership in the 12 months to June 2023.

Women’s Fashion magazines performed well over the last year increasing category readership by 21.2 per cent to 960,000. All four continuing magazines increased their readership led by the most widely read magazine in the category, Vogue Australia, up 27.6 per cent to 449,000. Also increasing were Marie Claire, up 34.8 per cent to 306,000, Frankie, up 20.9 per cent to 283,000 and Harper’s Bazaar, up 6.7 per cent to 160,000.

Women’s Lifestyle magazines were a standout performer over the last year growing overall print readership by 11.1 per cent to 359,000. Two of the magazines in the category increased their readership on a year ago led by Who, up 16.2 per cent to 158,000, ahead of English Woman’s Weekly which increased its readership by 13.2 per cent to 120,000.

Business, Financial & Airline magazines increased their readership by 33.9 per cent to 1,236,000 over the last year led by Qantas Magazine, up 34.4 per cent to 449,000, Money Magazine, up 25.4 per cent to 232,000, The Monthly, up 20.6 per cent to 187,000, Time, up 21 per cent to 219,000 and New Scientist, up 7.6 per cent to 213,000.

Motoring magazines are the eighth most widely read magazine category and experienced growth of 2.8 per cent over the past year for an overall print readership of 932,000, or 4.3% of the population, with four of the five magazines in the category increasing their readership over the past year. The magazines that increased their readership are Street Machine, up 1.3 per cent to 311,000, Wheels, up a large 40.8 per cent to 290,000, Unique Cars, up 17.3 per cent to 224,000 and Just Cars, up 3.1 per cent to 231,000.

Other magazines to perform strongly included TV Week, up 21.5 per cent to 413,000, Rolling Stone, up 14.5 per cent to 229,000, APC, up 25 per cent to 105,000, Play Australia Magazine, up 19.6 per cent to 122,000, Golf Australia, up 10.1 per cent to 142,000, Foxtel Magazine, up 16.6 per cent to 260,000, AFL Record (Apr-Sep) up a stunning 97.5 per cent to 393,000, Fishing World, up 18.5 per cent to 173,000, Fresh Water Fishing Australia, up 20.9 per cent to 110,000, Homespun, up 25.4 per cent to 79,000, Quilters Companion, up 18 per cent to 72,000, Dirt Action, up 28.6 per cent to 54,000, Road Rider, up 15 per cent to 46,000 and Australian Motorcycle News, up 2 per cent to 104,000.

Are Media’s ‘Now to Love’ digital platform is accessed by around 1.2 million Australians

The results for the 12 months to June 2023 for Magazine Publishers are strong with the 4 week digital platform audience data showing Are Media’s ‘Now to Love’ website attracting an audience of around 1.2 million Australians in an average 4 week period. Are Media’s ‘Now to Love’ platform allows advertisers to reach their audience in new ways with innovative online offerings.

Many of Are Media’s magazine brands (including The Australian Women’s Weekly, Woman’s Day, Take 5 and TV Week) have consolidated their online presence on the ‘Now to Love’ platform which adds incremental reach to already strong print based publications.

Of those magazines on the ‘Now to Love’ website Woman’s Day reaches a total cross-platform audience of well over 2.7 million people while The Australian Women’s Weekly reaches almost 2.5 million people.

News Corp’s Taste.com.au Magazine, which has now transitioned into a digital only outlet after this surveying period concluded, has a digital audience of over 3.2 million. In addition, other magazines with wide audiences include Better Homes & Gardens with an audience of over 2.3 million, Are Media’s Take 5 (weekly) and TV Week with total audiences of around 2 million, New Idea with over 1.8 million and Take 5 Bumper Monthly and with an audience of over 1.7 million readers.

This is the fourth readership release following the re-engineering of Roy Morgan’s digital audience measurement data. All digital data now calls on a broader set of inputs while the algorithm to calculate the digital audiences has been refined. Revised from July 2020, data can be compared year-on-year without a trend break.

Top 15 Magazines – Total Cross-Platform Audience

	Print (4 weeks)	Digital (4 weeks) (incl. Apple News)	Total CPA (4 weeks) (incl. Apple News)
Publication	12m to June 2023 (000's)	12m to June 2023 (000's)	12m to June 2023 (000's)
Taste.com.au Magazine	687	3,230	3,772
Woman's Day	1,703	1,231	2,742
The Australian Women's Weekly	1,328	1,250	2,427
Better Homes & Gardens	1,821	595	2,306
Take 5 (weekly)	859	1,186	1,962
TV Week	854	1,186	1,959
New Idea	1,196	729	1,834
Take 5 Bumper Monthly	584	1,186	1,701
National Geographic	959	396	1,318
Time	514	660	1,133
House & Garden	673	470	1,118
Delicious	284	821	1,082
That’s Life!	862	114	961
Vogue	449	421	844
Home Beautiful	372	470	828

Full Magazine Total Cross-Platform Audience results available to view here.

Total cross-platform audience includes print – average issue readership and digital – website visitation and app usage in an average 4 weeks.. #For additional detail on the platforms available for each magazine visit the Roy Morgan website.

Michele Levine, CEO, Roy Morgan, says readership of magazines has powered out of the pandemic period with all 17 magazine categories increasing their readership compared to a year ago:

Block Quote

“The latest Roy Morgan readership survey shows 15 million Australians (69.5% of all Australians aged 14+) now read magazines whether in print or online while print readership has grown strongly over the last year and is up 4.1 per cent to 11.5 million.

“The excellent result shows magazine readership increasing across all 17 categories – including 13 categories which increased readership by over 10 per cent on a year ago.

“The most impressive increase was for the Home & Garden Magazines which increased print readership by 16.8 per cent to 4,183,000 – an increase of over 500,000 from a year ago. Of the 17 magazines in the category there were 10 that experienced an increase and an exceptional nine that increased their readership by at least 10 per cent.

“Other significant results were recorded by Health & Family Magazines, up 16.8 per cent to 1,378,000, Business, Financial & Airline Magazines, up 33.9 per cent to 1,236,000, Mass Women’s Magazines, up 8.6 per cent to 2,869,000, General Interest Magazines, up 2.5 per cent to 4,123,000, Food & Entertainment Magazines, up 3.4 per cent to 7,377,000, Women’s Fashion Magazines, up 21.2 per cent to 960,000 and Women’s Lifestyle Magazines, up 11.1 per cent to 359,000.

“The most popular magazines continue to draw large audiences to their print editions and over 1.8 million people now read Better Homes & Gardens, up an impessive 15.7 per cent on a year ago.

“In addition, over 1.3 million (up 10.5 per cent) read The Australian Women’s Weekly, almost 1 million (up 17.2 per cent) read National Geographic and over 650,000 read Woman’s Day (up 13.8 per cent), Taste.com.au Magazine and House & Garden (up 16.6 per cent).

“The full cross-platform and print readership results for the year to June 2023 show magazines are a valued resource and continuing to reach a large majority of Australians – 15 million either in print or online via the web or app. Magazines provide a familiar and reliable medium to audiences that have continued to consume their favourite titles throughout an unprecedented three years.

“The massive reach of magazines today provides a direct line to large and valuable audiences of hard to find consumers for advertisers looking for an edge on their rivals.”

(Roy Morgan)

22 August 2023

Source:https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/increases-in-readership-for-all-magazine-categories

806-809-43-28/Polls

A Record High 1.5 Million Australians Are Now ‘at Risk’ Of ‘mortgage Stress’ Representing 29.2% Of Mortgage Holders

The figures for July represent a new record high and surpass the previous record high number reached in the three months to May 2008 of 1.46 million.

Over 640,000 more households at risk of mortgage stress after a year of interest rate increases

The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 642,000 over the last year as the RBA increased interest rates at twelve of the last fifteen-monthly meetings. Official interest rates are now at 4.1% in August 2023, the highest official interest rates since May 2012 over a decade ago.

Although the number of Australians at risk of mortgage stress (1,496,000) is at a record high the proportion of 29.2% remains below the record highs reached during the Global Financial Crisis of 10-15 years ago because of the larger size of the Australian mortgage market today. The record high of 35.6% of mortgage holders in mortgage stress was reached in mid-2008.

The number of mortgage holders considered ‘Extremely At Risk’, has now increased to 1,017,000 (20.3%) which is now significantly above the long-term average over the last 15 years of 15.4%.

Mortgage Stress – Owner-Occupied Mortgage-Holders

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), average interviews per 3 month period April 2007 – July 2023, n=2,748.

Base: Australians 14+ with owner occupied home loan

Mortgage Risk set to increase to over 1.57 million if RBA raises rates by +0.25% in September

Roy Morgan has modelled the impact of two potential RBA interest rate increases of +0.25% in both September (+0.25% to 4.35%) and October (+0.25% to 4.6%).

In July 29.2% of mortgage holders, 1,496,000, were considered ‘At Risk’ and this would increase to over 30% of mortgage holders by September 2023 if the RBA increases interest rates next month.

If the RBA raises interest rates by +0.25% in September to 4.35% there will be 30.2% (up 1% point) of mortgage holders, 1,577,000, considered ‘At Risk’ in September 2023 – an increase of 81,000.

If the RBA raises interest rates by a further +0.25% in October to 4.6% there will be 30.7% (up 1.5% points) of mortgage holders, 1,604,000, considered ‘At Risk’ in October 2023 – an increase of 108,000.

Mortgage Risk at different level of interest rate increases in September & October 2023

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source (Australia), May – July 2023, n=3,774. Base: Australians 14+ with owner occupied home loan.

How are mortgage holders considered ‘At Risk’ or ‘Extremely At Risk’ determined?

Roy Morgan considers the risk of ‘mortgage stress’ among Mortgage holders in two ways:

Mortgage holders are considered ‘At Risk’[1] if their mortgage repayments are greater than a certain percentage of household income – depending on income and spending.

Mortgage holders are considered ‘Extremely at Risk’[2] if even the ‘interest only’ is over a certain proportion of household income.

[1] "At Risk" is based on those paying more than a certain proportion of their after-tax household income (25% to 45% depending on income and spending) into their home loan, based on the appropriate Standard Variable Rate reported by the RBA and the amount they initially borrowed.

[2] "Extremely at Risk" is also based on those paying more than a certain proportion of their after-tax household income into their home loan, based on the Standard Variable Rate set by the RBA and the amount now outstanding on their home loan.

Unemployment is the factor which has the largest impact on income and mortgage stress

It is worth understanding that this is a conservative model, essentially assuming all other factors remain the same. Roy Morgan’s latest unemployment estimates show a monthly decline but almost one-in-five Australian workers are either unemployed or under-employed – 2,815,000 (18.6% of the workforce): (Australian unemployment drops to 9.1% in July, but under-employment increases to 9.5%; under-employment is highest for Australians aged under 25 – August 4, 2023).

While all eyes are on interest rates the greatest impact on an individual, or household’s, ability to pay their mortgage is not interest rates, it’s if they lose their job or main source of income.

Michele Levine, CEO Roy Morgan, says mortgage stress increased to a new record high in July with 1.5 million mortgage holders considered ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress as the RBA’s interest rate increases early in 2023 flowed through to the wider mortgage market:

Block Quote

“The latest Roy Morgan data shows mortgage stress in the Australian housing market has increased to a new record high with 1.5 million mortgage holders (29.2%) defined as ‘At Risk’ in July 2023. This represents a substantial increase of 642,000 (+9.8% points) on a year ago just after the RBA began a record-breaking series of interest rate increases.

“The figures for July 2023 take into account all twelve RBA interest rate increases which lifted official interest rates from 0.1% in May last year to 4.1% by June 2023. Since then, the RBA has decided to leave interest rates unchanged at its two most recent meetings in July and August.

“The ABS CPI figures for the year to June 2023 show Australian inflation dropping to 6.0%, down from 7.0% in the year to March 2023 and a cycle high of 7.8% in the year to December 2022. The decline in CPI so far in 2023 has led many to suggest the RBA may have completed its cycle of interest rate increases after raising rates in June.

“However, although the drop in the quarterly CPI figure is welcome, there are new inflationary pressures building in the economy. During mid-August the average retail petrol price in Australia increased to over $2 per litre for the first time since July 2022 – over a year ago.

“On two occasions during 2022 average retail petrol prices increased to over $2 per litre – in March 2022 and July 2022. On both occasions after petrol prices soared Inflation Expectations also increased rapidly – up from 4.7% to 6.4% in March 2022 and up from 5.1% to 6.0% in July 2022. The latest ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations for the week to August 20 may have shown the first inkling of rising petrol prices as the weekly measure increased by 0.3% points to 5.5%.

“The increases to petrol prices are being driven by a decline in the value of the Australian Dollar which has now dropped below 65 US cents to its lowest for nearly a year since November 2022. As long as the Australian Dollar stays low and petrol prices stay high, and even increase further, there will be additional inflationary pressures in the economy.

“Therefore, although many have suggested the RBA has finished its cycle of interest rate increases, the low Australian Dollar and high petrol and energy prices adding to inflation may force their hand for further interest rate increases in the months ahead.

“These possibilities are a key factor in why we have modelled two further interest rate increases in September and October. “If the RBA does raise interest rates again next week by 0.25% Roy Morgan forecasts mortgage stress is set to increase to over 1.57 million mortgage holders (30.2%) considered ‘At Risk’ by September 2023.

“Of even more concern is the rise in mortgage holders considered ‘Extremely At Risk’, now estimated at 1,017,000 (20.3%) in July 2023 – the highest for over 15 years since July 2008 (26.2%). This is an increase of over 470,000 mortgage holders from a year ago (+7.6% points).

“When considering the data on mortgage stress it is always important to appreciate interest rates are only one of the variables that determines whether a mortgage holder is considered ‘At Risk’. The variable that has the largest impact on whether a borrower falls into the ‘At Risk’ category is related to household income – which is directly related to employment.

“The latest figures on mortgage stress show that rising interest rates are causing a large increase in the number of mortgage holders considered ‘At Risk’ and further increases will spike these numbers even further. If there is a sharp rise in unemployment, mortgage stress is set to increase towards the record high of 35.6% of mortgage holders considered ‘At Risk’ in May 2008 during the GFC.”

(Roy Morgan)

28 August 2023

Source:https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9309-mortgage-stress-risk-july-2023

806-809-43-29/Polls

Super Fund Satisfaction Drops To 65% In July 2023 – Down 7% Points From Record High 18 Months Ago In January 2022

Despite the decrease over the last year and a half superannuation satisfaction is still significantly higher than the long-term average of 58.1% from 2007-2023 and also higher than at any time prior to the pandemic years of 2021-22 when the measure was at record highs. However, superannuation satisfaction is now at its lowest for two-and-a-half years since December 2020 (64.8%).

The high satisfaction ratings during the last two years are no surprise with the ASX200 peaking at 7,628.9 on August 13, 2021, and again, almost as high, at 7,558.1 on February 3, 2022. The index closed at 7,410.4 at the end of July 2023, down almost 150 points (-2%) since the recent high reached in February 2023.

The period covered by these ratings is from February 2023 – July 2023 which included four RBA interest rates increases totaling +1% lifting official interest rates to 4.1% - the highest in over a decade. The increases have been caused by the higher than expected inflation readings which were at a 32-year high of 7.8% in the year to December 2022 – the highest since March 1990.

Satisfaction with superannuation funds: 2007-2023

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, April 2007 – July 2023, n=16,527 for every six month period. Base: Australians 14+ with work based or personal superannuation.

Customer satisfaction is down most for Public Sector Funds compared to January 2022 peak

Customer satisfaction for Industry Funds in July 2023 is down by 7.4% points to 66.8% from 18 months ago in January 2022 and down 5.6% points to 74.4% for Self-Managed Funds – although this is still the highest customer satisfaction of any of the four super fund categories.

Overall customer satisfaction for Public Sector Funds has declined by 7.9% points from a year-and-a-half ago in January 2022 to 71.2% - the largest decline for any of the super fund categories – and the lowest customer satisfaction for Public Sector Funds since September 2020 nearly three years ago.

The customer satisfaction of Retail Funds has declined by 7.3% points from 18 months ago in January 2022 to 59.6% although this is still significantly higher than the long-term average customer satisfaction for Retail Funds of only 54.9%.

The report’s findings are from Roy Morgan Single Source, Australia’s most trusted consumer survey, compiled by in-depth interviews with over 60,000 Australians each year.

Satisfaction with financial performance of different type of super funds

Source: Roy Morgan Single Source Australia, August 2021 – January 2022, n=20,366, February – July 2023, n=23,145. Base: Australians 14+ with work based or personal superannuation.

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says customer satisfaction with superannuation funds (65.0%) is down from the record high reached 18 months ago in January 2022 but nevertheless remains well above the long-term average customer satisfaction over the last 15 years of 58.1%:

“Roy Morgan’s superannuation customer satisfaction ratings for the six months to July 2023 show industry satisfaction at 65%, down 7% points from the record high of 72% reached 18 months ago in January 2022. Despite the fall, customer satisfaction remains well above long-term average of 58.1% and higher than at any point prior to 2021.

“The drop in customer satisfaction from early last year has occurred as the ASX200 experienced a period of volatility since mid-2021. The ASX200 reached a high of 7,628.9 on August 13, 2021, and fell by almost 1,200 points when the index closed at 6,433.4 on June 20, 2022. Since the middle of last year, the ASX200 has significantly recovered and closed at 7,410.4 at the end of July.

“There have been declines across all categories from the record highs reached early in 2022. Retail Funds are down 7.3% points to 59.6% and are the lowest rated category, while Industry Funds dropped 7.4% points to 66.8%.

“Although both have experienced a drop in satisfaction compared to early last year Self-Managed Funds on 74.4% (down 5.6% points) and Public Sector Funds on 71.2% (down 7.9% points) remain the two sectors with clearly the highest satisfaction – well above the overall average.

“In recent years, many superannuation funds have merged or announced their intention to merge. These mergers include AustralianSuper taking over LUCRF, HESTA merging with Mercy Super, Unisuper taking over Australian Catholic Super, Active Super merging with Vision Super, HOSTPLUS merging with Statewide, Sunsuper, QSuper and Australia Post Superannuation Scheme (APSS) merging to form Australian Retirement Trust and many other mergers.

“Roy Morgan has extensive data on the impacts these mergers have on the customer satisfaction of the super funds involved in the mergers and acquisitions. One of the key messages coming through from these mergers is the importance of communication and a smooth transition process for members throughout.

“The superannuation industry will continue to consolidate in the years ahead as larger players in the market look to increase their clout and the amount of assets they have under management in an increasingly competitive industry. For these larger and more complex superannuation funds to maintain a high degree of customer satisfaction and better investment returns will be more important than ever before.

“Looking forward there are several challenges facing the Australian economy including the risk of a slowdown in China impacting on Australia’s largest commodity exports – iron ore, coal and gas as well as concerns about the value of commercial real estate as increasing numbers of Australians continue to work from home.

“In addition to these challenges there is also the continuing concern about the high level of inflation in Australia – recently estimated by the ABS to be at 6.0% in the year to the June quarter 2023. Although this is down from the 32-year high of 7.8% in the year to December 2022, inflation is still well above the target range of 2-3% over the course of the cycle.

“If inflation were to remain elevated at these levels in the period ahead that would increase pressure on the RBA to increase interest rates once again despite a widespread expectation that Australia’s cycle of interest rate increases has now ended.”

(Roy Morgan)

29 August 2023

Source:https://www.roymorgan.com/findings/9326-superannuation-satisfaction-july-2023

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

806-809-43-30/Polls

Global Views On Abortion; A Majority Across 29 Countries Believe Abortion Should Be Legal In At Least Most Cases

More than one in two (56%) across 29 countries believe abortion should be legal, including more than one in four (27%) who feel it should be legal in all cases.

Support for abortion is highest in Europe, with Sweden and France having the highest level of sentiment in believing abortion should be legal (87% and 82% respectively).

Support is lowest in Asia, with Indonesia and Malaysia the only countries where less than one in three think abortion should be legal (22% and 29% respectively).

Key takeaways:

People are more likely to think abortion should be legal (56%) than illegal (28%).

Support for abortion is highest in Sweden and France and lowest in Indonesia and Malaysia.

People are less likely to feel abortions should be legal later in pregnancies. Sixty per cent think abortion should be legal in the first six weeks of a pregnancy while this falls to 25% after 20 weeks.

Baby boomers are the most likely to say that abortion should be legal, while support is lowest among younger men.

How people feel about abortion

On a global level, 56% think abortion should be legal, while 28% think it should be illegal.

Looking at how this data is broken down: 27% think abortion should be legal in all cases, 29% in most cases, while 17% think it should be illegal in most cases and 11% illegal in all cases.

Support for abortion is highest in Europe. In Sweden 61% say abortion should be legal in all cases, and 26% in most cases, while only 6% and 2% think it should be illegal in most or all cases.

France is the only other country surveyed where more than one in two (56%) say abortion should be legal in all cases. A further 26% think it should be legal in most cases.

Opposition to abortion

Only five out of the 29 countries surveyed – Indonesia, Malaysia, Colombia, Brazil and Peru - have more people saying they are against making the option to terminate a pregnancy legal than are for it.

By some distance Indonesia is the country most against abortion. Three in four (74%) think abortion should be illegal: 37% say it should be illegal in all cases and 37% in most cases. Only 22% think abortion should be legal and of that only 1% say it should be legal in all cases.

It is the only nation surveyed where there is a difference of more than 50% between those against compared and those for. Termination of a pregnancy in the country is only legal as a result of rape or in cases of risk to a woman’s health.

Three of the six LATAM countries surveyed have more against than for abortion. In Colombia 39% feel it should be legal and 45% illegal, in Brazil 39% to 43%, and Peru 41% to 44%.

The Generational and Gender divide

On a global level a higher proportion of women think abortion should be legal compared to men (59% to 52%), with 30% of women thinking it should be legal in all cases while 23% of men feel this should be the case.

A third of men (33%) think abortion should be illegal (20% in most cases, 13% in all cases) compared to 25% of women (15% in most cases, 13% in all cases).

Looking at support for abortion through a generational lens, it is younger men who have the lowest support for the issue. Less than half of Millennials and Gen Z males say they think abortion should be legal (48% and 47%). Conversely 57% of Millennial women and 61% of Gen Z women and believe it should be legal.

Baby boomers, considered by many as the most “conservative” generation, are the most in favour. While there is a gap in support between Gen Z women and men, this isn’t the case for baby boomers. Sixty-three per cent of female baby boomers say they think abortion should be legal, while 61% of male baby boomers say the same.

When should abortion be legal?

In terms of when an abortion should be legal, if a woman’s life or health is at risk has the highest support. Globally almost eight in ten (78%) say it should be legal in this instance, compared to 10% who say it shouldn’t. Support is highest in Sweden (92%) and France (90%) and lowest in India (52%).

In the instance of rape, 72% globally think abortion should be legal. Support is again highest in France and Sweden (both 89%). Support is lowest in Indonesia, and it is the only country where more people say abortion should not be legal in the instance of rape compared to those that say it should be (50% to 32%). Indonesia also has the lowest support for whether abortion should be legal if the baby will be born with severe disabilities or health problems. Only 41% say they support abortion in this instance, while 41% say they would not support a woman having an abortion.

Globally there is less support for when a baby will be born with health problems, with 65% saying they support this. France and Hungary are most in favour (84% and 82%), while in Sweden, the most consistently supportive country in this report, 75% feel abortion should be allowed.

Should illegal abortions be penalised?

Looking at who is responsible in the event of an illegal abortion, people are more likely to feel the woman who had the abortion should not face a penalty. Almost one in two (47%) globally say she should not be penalised compared to a third (33%) that say she should.

People are more likely to feel those who either performed, or were involved in arranging the illegal abortion, should be punished. Forty-five per cent say the person who performed the abortion should face a penalty while 43% say the person who arranged the abortion should be punished.

However, in both cases there is a sizeable proportion of people who think neither should be penalised, with 36% feeling the person who performed the abortion shouldn’t be punished and 35% say the person who arranged it shouldn’t be punished.

People in North America and Europe are more likely to feel this way with the exception of Italy. While Italians are more likely to say a woman shouldn’t be punished for having an illegal abortion, more than one in two feel the person who arranged the abortion and the person who performed the procedure should be punished.

(Ipsos Global)

22 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en/global-views-abortion

806-809-43-31/Polls

Data Dive: Gen X Myths Vs. Realities, A Survey Across 30 Nations

Many once-moody Generation Xers* now have moody teens of their own.

The generation that grew up watching music videos on the family TV and tying up the house landline (either chatting with friends on the phone or surfing on the World Wide Web) are now well into middle age.

Most long ago ditched the slouchy plaid shirts and slacker attitude and are increasingly donning suits and stepping into middle management and leadership roles around the world.

Gen X is sometimes called the “forgotten generation,” but they’re increasingly influential and Ipsos’ new global report, We Need to Talk About Generations, breaks down beliefs surrounding this busy cohort as well as diving into thinking about Generation Zers, Millennials and Baby Boomers.

Here’s a look at what recent Ipsos Global Advisor polling finds about the generation that had a lot to feel disaffected about (the First Gulf War, a recession, the HIV/AIDS epidemic), as well as much to feel optimistic about (the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War, expanding access to the internet) as they matured in an increasingly intertwined world.

Myth:
Like their Gen Z offspring, many Gen Xers have very liberal views on a range of transgender issues.
Reality:
There’s strong consensus among all generations — Gen Z (76%, on average across 30 countries), Millennials (75%), Gen X (76%) and Boomers (77%) — that transgender people should be protected from discrimination in employment, housing and access to businesses such as restaurants and stores.
But, small cracks appear if you look closer.
Ipsos’ 2023 Pride Month global polling findsGen Zers are the most supportive of a range of trans issues, including gender-affirming care, while older generations are generally slightly less so

Ipsos | Gen X

Myth:
Gen Xers all rolled their eyes at authority growing up and they remain more skeptical of both business and government than other generations.
Reality:
Many around the world and across generations tend not to trust corporations or politicians, with trustworthiness levels remaining fairly low for an array of public and private entities year after year.
Like other age groups, a significantly higher proportion of Gen Xers tend to trust for-profit business sectors, such as pharmaceuticals (33%, on average across 21 countries), food/drinks (32%) and retail (32%), than trust the government (20%). Ipsos | Gen X

Myth:
Gen Xers are increasingly filling boardrooms and corner offices after decades of working their way up the corporate ladder and therefore the vast majority are now living on easy street financially.
Reality:
People of all ages and stages are feeling the pinch as the cost-of-living crisis grinds on.
While mid-to-late career Gen Xers are likely earning substantially more than Gen Z interns, they also likely have substantially higher monthly bills (from mortgages to car loans to family-sized grocery bills).
The latest edition of the Ipsos Global Inflation Monitor finds one in three (33%, on average across 29 countries) Gen Xers say they are living comfortably/doing alright financially, compared to 42% of Boomers, 36% of Millennials and 36% of Gen Zers who say the same. Ipsos | Gen X

Myth:
If apathetic Gen Xers believe in anything, it’s certainly not religion.
Reality:
The percentage of atheists is pretty steady across the generations, with just over one in five (21%, on average across 26 countries) Gen Xers saying they don’t believe in God/or in a higher power or spirit of any kind versus 23% of Boomers, 20% of Millennials and 19% of Gen Zers.
And almost half of Gen Xers (46%) agree religion does more harm in the world than good, pretty much in line with Gen Zers (45%), Millennials (47%) and Boomers (49%). Ipsos | Gen X

Myth:
Anxious Gen X parents are collectively staying up at night worried that life will be significantly harder for their Gen Z offspring currently maturing amid sticky inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine.
Reality:
There’s certainly a lot to feel anxious about right now (just as there was when Gen Xers were young), yet the majority across age demographics are optimistic life will turn out to be better, or at least the same, for young men and women today.
Some are less sunny.
A quarter (25%, on average across 29 countries) of Gen Xers are worried life will be worse for young men today than it was for men from their parents’ generation (compared to 27% of Boomers, 24% of Millennials and 20% of Gen Zers who say the same).
A slightly lower proportion of Gen Xers (20%, vs. 21% of Boomers, 19% of Millennials and 17% of Gen Zers) think life will be worse for young women today than it was for women from their parents’ generation.

Ipsos | Gen X

(Ipsos Global)

23 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en/data-dive-gen-x-myths-vs-realities

806-809-43-32/Polls

What Worries The World - August 2023, A Survey Across 29 Countries

Our monthly What Worries the World survey explores what the public thinks are the most important social and political issues, drawing on more than ten years of data to place the latest scores in context. This wave was conducted between July 21st – August 4th, 2023.

Key findings

Inflation is still the highest concern this month. But this month sees a further easing of 1pp to 37%.

This month’s level of inflation worry is the lowest it’s been this year and the lowest score since June 2022.

12 nations – Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Poland, Singapore, USA, and Turkey – have rising prices as their biggest concern. Two more than last month.

Across all countries, worry about inflation is followed by poverty & social inequality (31%, +1pp), crime & violence (30%, -1pp), unemployment (27%, +1pp), and financial & political corruption (27%, +1pp) which together make up the top five global worries.

Climate change is still the seventh biggest concern globally, with 18% worried, +1pp from last month. A third (32%) of the Dutch are worried about climate change, their joint second concern with immigration.

Coronavirus worry remains at 17th out of 18, with less than one in 10 (5%) picking it. This is the lowest level we have recorded since adding it to the survey in April 2020.

The “Right vs wrong direction” monitor sees 36% saying their country moving in the right direction, a 2pp drop. Thailand’s (44%) optimism has dropped 16pp.

Top five worries swirl August 2023

Inflation

Inflation concerns have now gone through three months of consecutive decline, having dropped 1pp in June, 2pp in July, and now 1pp this month. At 37%, it is the lowest it’s been in 2023 and the lowest since June 2022.

Despite a decrease, the number of countries who list inflation as their top concern has gone up, from ten to 12. The list comprises Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Poland, Singapore, USA, and Turkey.

Argentina (69%) is still at the top of our list and has been the most concerned country since November 2022.

Once top of the list, Poland’s level of worry (53%) is falling. After dropping 6pp this month, it’s now at its lowest level since April 2022.

For more on public attitudes towards inflation, see our recent 29-country Global Inflation Monitor.

Climate Change

Climate change ranks seventh out of 18 global concerns in our What Worries the World survey, between healthcare and taxes. This month’s worry has increased by 1pp.

Singapore now has just under a quarter (23%) worried this month, despite being the most concerned nation last month. Their score has dropped by 8pp.

With a third (32%) now concerned, the Netherlands is top of the list. Climate change is joint second in the level of worry for the Dutch with immigration control.

After recent heatwaves, a few European countries have seen increases. France (30%) is up 5pp, Italy (27%) is up 7pp, Great Britain has moved +6pp, and Spain (21%) has risen by 3pp.

Crime & Violence

Just under a third (30%) have crime & violence as their highest concern, down 1pp this month. This is after a slight bump in July when it increased by 2pp.

In July, France experienced a sharp rise in this issue, making it its biggest concern. In August, however, concern has cooled, dropping 14pp to 35%.

Despite still having it as their number one concern, the level of concern in Israel (38%) has also fallen, a drop of 10pp.

Five other countries have crime and violence as their top concern: Chile (62%), Sweden (59%) Peru (57%), Mexico (57%), and Israel (38%).

Poverty & Social Inequality

Poverty & social inequality is now second on our list of 18 worries with 31% saying it is an issue in their country. This is after a 1pp rise.

Brazil (41%) and the Netherlands (35%) all have inequality as their top concern. Overall though, the Dutch, having been third, are now eighth after dropping 5pp.

Nearly half (47%) of Indonesians have inequality as a top concern. Indonesia’s level of concern for poverty has always been relatively high. This time last year, the country was third at 42%.

Hungary (34%) is now tenth, decreasing from first position last month by 7pp.

Financial/Political Corruption

Over a quarter (27%) choose financial/political corruption as one of the top issues in their country. This is up 1pp this month.

South Africa now has just under half (46%) worried about corruption. After declining by 9pp this month, it no longer holds the top position on our list. Instead, Indonesia (55%) is now top, increasing by 1pp.

Alongside Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia both have over half saying corruption is their top issue (52% & 51%, respectively).

Last month we noted Singapore had moved up by 6pp. This sees an additional 8pp increase to one in five (19%).

Satisfaction with the economy

Across 29 countries, 36% of people describe the current economic situation in their country as “good”, with no change since July 2023.

Positive sentiment has increased most from last month in Poland (+7pp), India (+6pp), Sweden, and Great Britain (both +5pp).

Spain’s “good” economic score has increased by 2pp this month, marking the third consecutive month it has recorded a new all-time highest score.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s “good” economic score has dropped 10pp down to 22%. A 9pp decrease in Turkey’s “good” economic score sees the country record its joint-lowest ever score (tying with July 2022).

(Ipsos Global)

24 August 2023

Source:https://www.ipsos.com/en/what-worries-world-august-2023