Generation Z and hospitality
There’s one customer group who have held strong for hospitality throughout the pandemic- almost unshakeable in their support for the industry and their desire to socialise and consume in an environment outside of their own homes. And I’m not talking about the KAM team… Let’s hear it for Generation Z. (To be clear, we’re referring to those who are currently 18-25 years old. The youngest of this generation are still only 10!)
The common perception is that this is the generation that would rather use social media than have an actual conversation. They’d rather sit at home and watch Netflix than go to the pub (even when they’re allowed to!) and they’re only interested in healthy bowls of colourful food that look great on Instagram- but how much of this is actually true?
We’re excited to launch KAM’s new white paper to help the industry really understand Generation Z- tomorrow’s customer.
They may connect digitally but they collect physically – in cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants. In 2019 eating and drinking out represented the largest proportional share of their disposable spend (20%).
Despite this, alcohol plays a smaller part in their fabric compared with previous generations. 2-in-5 18-24 year olds describe themselves as teetotal. More than twice the number of UK adults in general.
(A reminder, KAM will be launching our new Low+No research report at an online event on the 19th January. Find out more here.)
Research KAM conducted in 2019 shows…
– a third of Gen Z-ers already had food delivery apps on their phones
– 20%+ had already embraced a subscription service such as delivered meal boxes or beer subscriptions (way before the likes of Pret announced their monthly subscription offer)
– 25% spent 7+ hours a day on their phones, with 2-in-3 worrying that they were too ‘connected’
Any of these things sound familiar as we reach the end of 2020? If anything, Gen Z were most prepared for living through this crazy year with the rest of us merely playing catch up.
One thing’s for sure, you can’t ignore this generation. Our new whitepaper will help you to understand them, empathise with them and connect with them and build loyalty that will last a lifetime.
Take a look at the new white paper, with our compliments, and let us know what you think – download here.
