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 * Overview
 * Introduction
 * 1. Inflation deflates sentiment
 * 2. Consumers in a “phygital” world
 * 3. Kinks in the supply chain
 * 4. Hybrid working
 * 5. Confronting frictions, in-store and online
 * 6. The next platform: The metaverse
 * 7. Data privacy is increasingly important to consumers
 * 8. The future of frictionless retail depends on customer loyalty
 * 9. About this survey
 * Download the full report
 * Get in touch


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CONSUMERS SEEK FRICTIONLESS EXPERIENCES IN A WORLD OF DISRUPTIONS

February 2023 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey

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15 minute read

February 16, 2023

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Consumers’ behaviours, technological preferences and expectations continue to
evolve. How can companies meet them where they want to be?




As 2023 unfolds, powerful internal and external forces are weighing on consumers
and companies, producing frictions that can gum up the gears of commerce and
stand in the way of more satisfying customer experiences. Concerned about
inflation and the cloudy macroeconomic climate, consumers are realigning their
shopping habits and adopting cost-cutting behaviours. Fully half of all
consumers are either very or extremely concerned about their own personal
financial situation. And 96% of surveyed consumers intend to adopt some type of
cost-saving behaviour over the next six months. Still, eager to resume their
pre-covid habits, they’re returning to stores and travelling again. Empowered by
technology, they’re seeking and demanding seamless in-store and online
experiences that better suit their lifestyles—and pocketbooks.


0


OF SURVEYED CONSUMERS INTEND TO ADOPT COST-SAVING BEHAVIOURS OVER THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS.

Source: PwC’s February 2023 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey

To a large degree, covid continues to influence the experiences of consumers and
the industries that cater to them. E-commerce grew massively during the pandemic
in part because in many areas it was the only type of commerce available. Some
of that boom is subsiding. But what seem like short-term declines may simply be
mean regression in the context of long-term growth; 43% of consumers said they
plan to increase online shopping in the next six months. These are among the
central findings of the latest Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey, conducted
in December 2022 among 9,180 consumers across 25 territories.


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The demand and supply shocks brought about by covid continue to ripple through
the economy and factor into consumers’ decision-making, habits and attitudes.
Yet, even as they take defensive actions, consumers remain resilient, demanding
and eager to experiment. Consumers are seeking less friction—but that doesn’t
necessarily mean opting only for e-commerce, or for physical experiences that
are entirely mediated by technology. They’re continuing to experiment with the
next generation of digital platforms, including the metaverse. And as more of
everyday work and leisure life continues to go digital, mobile and virtual,
concerns about data security and privacy remain a significant source of
friction.

The survey makes it clear that companies must go beyond responding to consumers’
evolving attitudes, actions and aspirations. They must identify, isolate and
mitigate the many frictions that stand between them and their customers, and
between their customers and optimal experiences. Beyond meeting consumers where
they are—physically and psychologically—companies must invest to ensure that
they’ll be able to meet them where they will be in the future.

 * 69%
   
   of consumers have changed non-essential spending in the past six months.

 * 63%
   
   identify as non-hybrid workers.

 * 43%
   
   plan to increase online shopping in the next six months.

 * 26%
   
   have participated in metaverse-related activities in the last six months.




1. INFLATION DEFLATES SENTIMENT



In 2022, a source of friction rarely seen in our prior surveys entered the
field: inflation. Though inflation in a number of markets is coming off the
boil, it remains a powerful factor. It would be expected to dampen consumers’
spirits, because prices have been rising more rapidly than incomes in many parts
of the world. For many consumers, especially in the US and Europe, this may be
the first experience of sustained increases in price levels.

Half of consumers are extremely or very concerned about their personal financial
situation (50%), with one-fifth extremely concerned (22%). And looking ahead,
fully 96% of surveyed consumers intend to adopt cost-saving behaviours over the
next six months. The most pessimistic group (42%) expects to significantly
decrease their spending across all retail categories. They’re less likely to
travel, for instance, and more likely to switch to a cheaper brand of a
particular product or even go without a regularly used one. In groceries, the
area where consumers are least likely to cut back, 24% said they plan to
decrease spending, compared with 12% in the prior survey.

There are some exceptions, though. Consumers have displayed a willingness to put
their money where their values are. More than 70% said that ‘to some or to a
great extent’ they’re willing to pay more for food produced by local farmers and
for goods made by a company known for ethical practices, such as supporting
human rights or avoiding animal testing.


FOUR DISTINCT CONSUMER SEGMENTS EMERGE

Question 1: Considering the current economic climate and potential
cost-of-living impact, how concerned are you about your personal financial
situation?

Question 2: Considering the current economic climate, which of the following
statements best describes your situation regarding non-essential spending?

Select a generation to explore varying levels of concern about the economy.

 * All generations
 * Generation Z
 * Millennials
 * Generation X
 * Baby Boomers
 * Greatest Generation

Not concerned and haven’t changed behaviour on non-essential spending10%
Concerned but haven’t changed behaviour on non-essential spending20%
Concerned to some extent and have taken action on non-essential spending28%
Most concerned and have taken action on non-essential spending42%

Answers All generations Generation Z Millennials Generation X Baby Boomers
Greatest Generation Not concerned and haven’t changed behaviour on non-essential
spending 10% 8% 10% 8% 14% 25% Concerned but haven’t changed behaviour on
non-essential spending 20% 22% 21% 17% 16% 17% Concerned to some extent and have
taken action on non-essential spending 28% 31% 26% 28% 33% 34% Most concerned
and have taken action on non-essential spending 42% 40% 43% 47% 37% 25%


2. CONSUMERS IN A “PHYGITAL” WORLD



Diving deeper into consumers’ shopping and behaviour trends, some shifts were
evident from the prior survey, conducted early in 2022. When asked about their
shopping frequency (daily, weekly, etc.) over the last 12 months across
different channels, consumers in the present survey still chose shopping
in-store as the most popular channel, holding steady at 43%. Use of mobile
phones and smartphones was next (34%), followed by PCs (23%). 



In a nutshell, many of the trends that got supercharged in the depths of the
covid crisis, which is still ongoing in many parts of the world, have unwound.
In-store shopping has rebounded. But the data also shows that the long-term
growth trends remain intact. Looking ahead, when consumers were asked about how
their spending and shopping behaviour might change in the next six months, 43%
said they plan to increase online shopping, down from 50% in our last survey. At
the same time, plans to increase shopping in physical stores dropped
significantly, too, from 33% to 23%. 

Perhaps most important, what people expect and experience in all shopping
environments—physical and digital—is changing. And it’s incumbent on market
participants to meet consumers in both physical and digital spaces—and to meet
their changing expectations. As is evident throughout the survey, it’s not an
either–or proposition. Increasingly, consumers are saying that they want the
physical shopping experience to be enhanced, facilitated or mediated by digital
technologies: call it phygital.


Asked to rank what factors would most enhance their in-store shopping
experiences, 27% of respondents put access to knowledgeable and helpful sales
associates on top—with half of Baby Boomers ranking that as the leading factor.
At the same time, 16% of all respondents said the ability to use self-service
checkout kiosks was their most-favoured attribute, followed closely by in-store
use of a retailer’s website or mobile app to browse for particular products
(15%). Next, at 12%, was the ability to use retailers’ “scan-and-go” devices and
apps, allowing shoppers to bypass both staffed checkout lanes and self-service
kiosks.

More tellingly, consumers who said they intend to spend more time in
brick-and-mortar environments in the coming six months signalled that they
expect more technological bells and whistles. They said they’d be attracted by
in-store entertainment (34%), immersive digital experiences (30%), such as
donning a virtual reality (VR) headset to try out new products, and being able
to book appointments with a sales adviser or personal shopper (28%).




3. KINKS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN



There are continuing signs that supply chain disruptions are affecting
day-to-day shopping behaviour, including which channels consumers choose to make
purchases. Thirty-nine percent of those surveyed remain most likely to shop at
multiple retailers—whether in-store or online—which is two percentage points
higher than in our earlier survey. And more than one-third said that they visit
multiple websites to check for availability of the products they want (38%).

Nearly seven in ten of those surveyed said that rising prices are having the
greatest impact on their in-store shopping experiences (68%), followed by
products being out of stock (42%) and the hassle of standing in longer queues
(39%). Similarly, when asked to identify issues they’ve experienced ‘almost
always or frequently’ while shopping online in the last three months, 48% named
the rising prices of household goods. Nearly one-quarter cited the inability to
buy a product because it was out of stock or that delivery time was longer than
they were told (both 24%). 




4. HYBRID WORKING



In this survey, as in the previous one, we asked consumers about their ways of
working. More than one-third (36%) said they’re in hybrid mode, in which they
can work from home or the office or other job sites. That’s down from 41% in the
last survey. Indeed, 63% of respondents identify as non-hybrid, meaning they’re
required to be in their office or other place of work or at home all the time,
up from 57% in the prior survey. Digging deeper, 56% of respondents indicated
they’re now required to be physically in their place of work all the time, a
substantial increase from 47% in the previous survey. Only 7% said they work
exclusively from home, down from 10% in the previous survey. As would be
expected, these ways of work differ across territories, although the hybrid
model is most prevalent in Southeast Asia.


BACK TO THE OFFICE

Question: Thinking about what your employer requires at this time, which of the
following statements best reflects a typical working week for you?

Select a territory to see how working-from-home options differ according to
location.

Hybrid36%

Non-hybrid63%

I am able to choose how and where to work. 10%

26% I am required to work in a hybrid way.

Select country/territory Global --------------- Australia Brazil Canada China
Egypt France Germany Hong Kong India Indonesia Ireland Japan Malaysia Mexico
Philippines Qatar Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa South Korea Spain Thailand
UAE USA Vietnam --------------- Africa and Middle East Americas Asia-Pacific
Southeast Asia Western Europe
Non-Hybrid63%Hybrid: Required to work in a hybrid way26%Hybrid: Able to choose
how and where to work10%

Working status Global Australia Brazil Canada China Egypt France Germany Hong
Kong Indonesia Japan South Korea Malaysia Mexico Philippines Saudi Arabia
Singapore South Africa Spain Thailand UAE USA Vietnam Ireland India Qatar
Western Europe Asia Pacific Africa and Middle East Americas SEAC Non-Hybrid 63%
63% 61% 64% 56% 54% 68% 64% 68% 62% 67% 78% 67% 59% 61% 61% 59% 60% 66% 46% 66%
73% 52% 67% 60% 62% 66% 62% 61% 65% 57% Hybrid: Required to work in a hybrid way
26% 25% 28% 21% 34% 32% 23% 24% 26% 30% 16% 15% 20% 31% 27% 32% 35% 25% 27% 32%
29% 16% 40% 22% 29% 32% 24% 27% 29% 24% 31% Hybrid: Able to choose how and where
to work 10% 11% 10% 12% 9% 13% 7% 10% 5% 8% 14% 6% 11% 10% 11% 7% 6% 15% 7% 21%
5% 10% 8% 11% 10% 6% 9% 10% 10% 11% 11%


5. CONFRONTING FRICTIONS, IN-STORE AND ONLINE



The goal of frictionless retail is to remove the barriers that customers face in
stores, whether it’s standing in a checkout line or having to swipe a card to
pay. In PwC’s recent US customer loyalty survey, 82% of respondents say they’d
be willing to share some kind of personal data in exchange for a better customer
experience. Conveniently for retailers, frictionless technologies are seen as a
way to reduce labour costs. But consumers also have high and growing
expectations for assistance and convenience that would seem to
introduce more friction. That dichotomy presents a mix of opportunities and
challenges for retailers, which are explored in a recent PwC UK report on the
future of frictionless retail. Computer-vision AI technologies—which enable
consumers to enter a store, pick up their products and simply walk out without
the need to scan, queue or check out—are slowly being rolled out across retail
markets. Our research shows that both consumers and retailers can benefit from
these digital developments.

But that doesn’t mean retailers can reflexively reduce their workforces. They’ll
likely have the same number of employees, but they’ll need to train new hires
and reskill or upskill existing ones. Also, because data collection and analysis
inherently grow with these systems, tech developers and retailers must be able
to assuage consumers’—and regulators’—concerns about the privacy, security and
dissemination of their personal information.

> Consumers aren’t approaching where to shop as an either–or proposition but as
> a this-and-that set of options.
> 
> PwC’s February 2023 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey

E-commerce, and the digital technologies that enable it, are designed to remove
friction. But they also create their own frictions, many of which have been
exacerbated or aggravated during the disruptions of the past two years. Since
the onset of the pandemic, e-commerce consumers have experienced higher delivery
costs, longer wait times, bungled deliveries and stock shortages. In our survey,
more than half of consumers who opt to shop in physical stores or to place
orders online and pick up at the store (54%) said they do so because it offers
them the ability to check that products are not broken or faulty and to be
certain that they’re the products they ordered. Another reason, cited by 41% of
those planning to shop in physical stores, is that they simply missed doing so
during pandemic lockdowns. The bite of higher costs and concerns over an
economic downturn are also playing a role: 40% of consumers who intend to
increase in-store shopping and decrease online shopping said it’s because
delivery costs are too high.



These trends in consumer preferences point to a hybrid shopping strategy that
producers and retailers are grappling with: consumers aren’t approaching where
to shop, regardless of what’s on their list, as an either–or proposition but as
a this-and-that set of options. This duality was apparent well before the
pandemic. Despite persistent economic and social headwinds, consumers aren’t
simply switching from online to in-store shopping. Rather, they’re choosing one
or the other—or both—based on preferred attributes of each, such as in-store
technology or improving delivery times and costs for online orders. These trends
are likely to continue throughout 2023.



0


OF CONSUMERS WHO INTEND TO INCREASE IN-STORE SHOPPING AND DECREASE ONLINE
SHOPPING SAID IT’S BECAUSE DELIVERY COSTS ARE TOO HIGH. 

Source: PwC’s February 2023 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey


6. THE NEXT PLATFORM: THE METAVERSE



Digital environments are evolving, whether it’s the continuing rollout of 5G or
the integration of shopping into social media apps. And so, a great deal of
attention is being paid to what may be the next large-scale digital platform:
the metaverse, which promises to erase many of the frictions between the digital
world and the physical world. But the metaverse is still very much in its
infancy, and is riven by its own set of frictions. As the PwC
report Demystifying the metaverse concluded: ‘The metaverse is an evolution, not
a revolution. And it’s one that business leaders should not ignore.’

> The countries with the highest percentage of metaverse users have young
> populations and growing middle classes.
> 
> PwC’s February 2023 Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey

Our survey finds that various components of the metaverse are already available
and being explored by consumers. Just more than one-quarter said they have
participated in metaverse-related activities in the last six months for
entertainment, virtual experiences or purchasing products (26%). For example,
10% have used a VR headset to play games or watch a movie, or for work-related
activities. Nearly as many said they’ve experienced a retail environment or a
concert virtually or they've purchased an NFT, or non-fungible token (both 9%). 

Use of the metaverse varies widely by age and across countries. Not
surprisingly, the younger the person, the more likely they are to engage with
the metaverse. Demographically, young Millennials (36%) and Gen Z (31%) are the
top metaverse users, while only 8% of Baby Boomers and 6% of the Greatest
Generation cohort have used it. And the countries with the highest percentage of
respondents who said they had used the metaverse in the past six months were
India (48%) and Vietnam (43%)—countries with young populations and growing
middle classes. 




7. DATA PRIVACY IS INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TO CONSUMERS



Whether they’re using the metaverse or not, consumers already inhabit a
thoroughly digital universe. The billions of daily transactions, interactions
and downloads that occur digitally are both enabling and compelling a pervasive
sharing, collection, analysis and dissemination of consumer data by companies,
organisations and governments across the globe. Control over all of that data
has become a source of friction for consumers. Asked about their level of
concern about personal data privacy when interacting in routine activities and
with various entities, nearly half said they are extremely or very concerned
when engaging with social media (47%). Concern is also high regarding the media
in general (41%), third-party travel websites (36%) and healthcare companies
(34%).

There’s lesser but still substantial concern among respondents when engaging
with consumer companies (32%) and retailers (30%). It’s possible that retail
performs comparatively well here because the return for consumers on providing
data is clearer and more transparent, in the form of vouchers, discounts and
special offers.

Consumers are acting on their concerns. Half said they don’t share any more
personal data than necessary (49%), and 32% opt out of receiving emails, texts
and other communications. And this is another sort of friction. Companies will
be more effective and efficient and provide better value to their customers if
they have more data about them. But when it comes to both regulation and
behaviour, there are efforts to reduce the flow and use of data. To regain
trust, leaders need to persist in their efforts to establish innovative
data-privacy systems and operations—especially as lawmakers and regulators
consider legislative remedies.


RETAILERS GAIN GREATER TRUST ON DATA

Question: To what extent, if at all, are you concerned about the privacy of your
personal data when interacting with the following types of companies?
(Respondents answering ‘extremely concerned’ or ‘very concerned.’)

Select a channel to see to what extent each generation and region have privacy
concerns.

Generation
⬢
Territory
 * Social media
 * Media
 * Third-party/portal travel websites
 * Healthcare
 * Travel operator websites
 * Consumer companies
 * Retail companies

Global47%
Generation Z45%
Millennials48%
Generation X46%
Baby Boomers50%
Greatest Generation50%
Western Europe47%
Asia-Pacific44%
Africa and Middle East51%
Americas50%
Southeast Asia46%

Category Social media Media Third-party/portal travel websites Healthcare Travel
operator websites Consumer companies Retail companies Global 47% 41% 36% 34% 32%
32% 30% Generation Z 45% 42% 34% 32% 32% 31% 28% Millennials 48% 43% 37% 36% 34%
33% 32% Generation X 46% 39% 34% 33% 31% 30% 31% Baby Boomers 50% 40% 33% 29%
29% 28% 28% Greatest Generation 50% 46% 39% 31% 36% 27% 33% Western Europe 47%
38% 33% 34% 31% 30% 29% Asia-Pacific 44% 40% 34% 32% 30% 31% 29% Africa and
Middle East 51% 47% 39% 36% 34% 35% 34% Americas 50% 44% 39% 36% 38% 32% 33%
Southeast Asia 46% 43% 36% 33% 31% 32% 32%


8. THE FUTURE OF FRICTIONLESS RETAIL DEPENDS ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY



As we look ahead, there are three essential sets of frictions. 

There’s a set of frictions that are beyond the control of companies—macro levels
of inflation, a global recession or contraction, wars, and disruptions to trade
caused by the pandemic. In response, consumer-facing companies must focus on
resilience, conduct scenario planning, and ensure that their supply chains,
operating models and staffing levels are fit for a range of potential short-term
outcomes. 

There’s a set of frictions that companies themselves can introduce relating to
experiences—by not having sufficient staffing in stores or by failing to meet or
manage expectations surrounding the experience. To guard against this, companies
should focus on operational excellence and continue to experiment and innovate
with the use of technology in stores and the creation of satisfying phygital
experiences.

And there’s a set of frictions that consumers themselves introduce into the
system, including changes in behaviour due to economic or personal
circumstances. In response, companies must monitor and stay on top of the latest
trends, and plot investments and initiatives that will meet customers wherever
they are and build loyalty.

The term frictionless retail may be an important buzzword and a worthy goal. But
a deep understanding of what consumers think, the stresses that concern them,
and the demands and expectations they have should lead to a more sophisticated
and strategic understanding of the frictions that exist—and the steps necessary
to mitigate or remove them.


9. ABOUT THIS SURVEY



The Global Consumer Insights Survey is a biannual study that seeks to keep a
closer watch on changing consumer trends. For our February 2023 pulse survey, we
polled 9,180 consumers across 25 territories: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,
Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan,
Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa,
South Korea, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States and Vietnam.
The respondents were at least 18 years old and were required to have shopped
online at least once in the previous year.


FEBRUARY 2023 GLOBAL CONSUMER INSIGHTS PULSE SURVEY EXPLORE THE FULL REPORT.

Download


GET IN TOUCH
REACH OUT TO START A CONVERSATION.

 

Sabine Durand-Hayes

Global Consumer Markets Leader, Partner, PwC France

Email

LinkedIn

Myles Gooding

Global Consumer Markets Advisory Leader, Partner, PwC Canada

Email

LinkedIn

Brian Crane

Global Consumer Markets Assurance Leader, Partner, PwC United States

Email

LinkedIn

Herve Roesch

Global Consumer Markets Deals Leader, Partner, PwC United Kingdom

Email

LinkedIn

Milo Hartendorf

Global Consumer Markets Tax Leader, PwC Netherlands

Email

LinkedIn






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