Lockdown – Kiwis more worried by financial well-being than initial 4 weeks lockdown – Survey

Overnight research from Opinion Compare reveals how Kiwis are feeling about the lockdown, the potential impact to their day-to-day lives and general concerns as the New Zealand population enters the unchartered territory of the Covid-19 pandemic. A nationally representative survey of n=590 New Zealanders 18+ conducted on the 25th of March identified it’s not the lockdown that’s causing concern, it’s the ongoing financial impact to their lives that’s keeping New Zealanders up at night.

When asked their worry about the both the lockdown and their financial well-being, it’s the financial well-being that outstrips any concerns of the lockdown.

Chart: Worry About Lockdown / Financial Well-Being On A Scale of 1-9, Where 1 is Not at all Worried and 9 is Extremely Worried(attached)

One participant from the snap poll articulated their feelings as “I completely agree with what the Government has enacted and hope that we all stick to it but it’s the ongoing ramifications that keeps me up at night. And while there’s no answer to that, it’s a worry”

The New Zealand public were clear in nominating the ‘essential services’ they believed should remain open.

Supermarkets 96% 

Pharmacies 95% 

Petrol Stations 90% 

Doctors 88% 

Dairy / Superette 55% 

Takeaway Food Outlets 12% 

Bunnings Warehouse 10% 

Liquor Stores 10% 

Mitre 10 10% 

The Warehouse 7% 

Churches / Religious Venues 4% 

Hairdressers 3% 

And while the majority believed supermarkets should stay open, when asked what they were most surprised about not being available, they nominated:

1. Flour/Yeast (20%)

2. Toilet Paper (13%)

3. Bread (7%)

Home owners are currently weighing up their options with high awareness of the mortgage holiday option, 1 in 5 households said they would be extremely likely to use that as an option, the same proportion unsure, while 60% were unlikely at this stage.

Gavin Male, CEO of Opinion Compare, said “these results aren’t surprisingly given this research was conducted Day 1 of lockdown. Spirits seem to be up, there’s an appreciation for the measures being taken but still concern over the long term implications. It will be interesting to continue to measure this sentiment and attitudes over the next 4 weeks”

Opinion Compare is the research arm of NZ Compare and offers an independent and affordable way to deliver Kiwi opinions into NZ business decision makers. We created Opinion Compare for brands and agencies operating in NZ because they were making poorly informed decisions which led to costly mistakes. We provide a range of ways to get the insights you require. Traditional qualitative and quantitative research methodologies are covered as well as new and different approaches if required. We’re passionate about creating a world where consumer opinions help shape and deliver better products and services for everyone.