Black Friday—which falls this year on 29 November—is primarily a retail event, but many shoppers will be ready to visit pubs, bars and restaurants as well. CGA by NIQ’s exclusive On Premise User Survey shows how these venues meet the needs of celebratory consumers, with nearly a third (31%) of South African’s On Premise users visiting to celebrate a holiday at least once in the last three months.
Celebratory occasions tend to revolve around families. Nearly half of consumers going out to mark a holiday say they do so with their family including children (48%) or with partners (47%), while half (51%) say being with their family is their top lifestyle priority.
OPUS highlights the ongoing effects of high inflation in South Africa, with more than three quarters (77%) of users experiencing moderate or severe cost of living impacts. This makes price a crucial consideration, and it is one of the two top factors influencing choice of drink in every major On Premise channel. Happy Hour deals are another major influence in pubs, bars and nightclubs, and 44% of guests say they will be looking for more offers and promotions if prices increase further.
However, South African consumers do not want to compromise on quality, and value does not necessarily equate to cheap. Nearly half say value for money means something that is good quality (48%) or worth its cost (42%), while 71% say they prefer to buy high quality drinks—many more than the 29% who prefer cheap options. Around two thirds of consumers say they are likely to pay more for a better quality drink in pubs (65%), and the number is even higher in informal taverns and shebeens (68%)—making them good targets for premiumisation strategies.
CGA by NIQ’s OPUS solution delivers many more insights into consumers’ engagement with the On Premise on celebratory and other occasions, and highlights its pivotal role in South African life.
Abhi Sehgal, CGA by NIQ’s client solutions manager EMEA, said: “Big public occasions like Black Friday should be prime targets for all On Premise suppliers and venues, and they represent great moments to attract consumers with money in their pockets. To capitalise, business need to understand the two big factors of quality and pricing in decision-making, and deliver the value for money that guests crave. Our data-driven market intelligence is the ideal starting point for compelling collaborative pricing and promotional strategies that secure trials and trade-ups—not just on Black Friday but over the run-up to Christmas holidays and beyond.”
Accessible via a package of core outputs and custom projects, and a proprietary self-serve platform, OPUS is the single source of understanding what consumers are doing in the On Premise and why. To learn more about CGA’s consumer research across South Africa, download more information here, or contact Abhi Sehgal here.
