Standard Chartered survey of 5,000 middle-class consumers across five emerging markets
London, 2 June 2014
The study of 5,000 affluent and emerging affluent consumers across five of Standard Chartered’s key markets – Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya – offers new insight into the aspirations of these consumers, including their appetite to travel, invest in a new car, grow their wealth and buy luxury goods.
The study reveals big differences in the background and employment status of emerging market middle-class consumers. Indonesians and Indians tend to work for a local company, while the vast majority of African middle classes are self-employed. While 77% of Indians have a University or post-graduate qualification, 23% of Kenyans did not attend high school.
Emerging market consumers have a confident outlook, with a majority of Indians, Indonesians and Nigerians expecting economic growth in their markets to continue, and a majority of consumers in all five countries (between 54 and 91%) expecting their personal financial position to improve in the next five years. As their wealth grows, they expect their spending priorities to change considerably.
Anticipated spending in the next five years includes:
- Buying a new vehicle: across all five countries, more people plan to buy a new car or motorcycle – at least seven in ten Indonesians, Indians, Nigerians and Ghanaians plan to splash out. More people also plan to buy at the luxury end of the market, especially Indians, Nigerians and Ghanaians.
- Exploring the world: across Indonesia, India, Nigeria and Ghana, at least around 50% of consumers plan to take more holidays abroad and/or embark on more business travel, and Europe is seen as a top three travel destination.
- Buying luxury items: there is mixed appetite for luxury goods. Across all five countries, high-end tech goods are expected to be very popular. Ghanaians and Nigerians demonstrate the highest appetite for luxury clothing – demand to buy designer clothing, accessories and/or footwear is expected to more than double in the next five years (compared to the last five years).
- Saving more: savings are a priority across all five countries, but particularly among Indonesians, Ghanaians and Kenyans – more than three quarters of Indonesians plan to prioritise saving as their wealth increases, and around half of Kenyans and Ghanaians are interested in saving more.
- Providing the best education: across all five countries, education is seen as a gateway to providing a better future and ensuring greater wealth and opportunities. A majority of consumers intend to spend their increased savings on the best possible education for their children, and at least 50% of Indonesians, Indians, Nigerians and Ghanaians feel certain that they can afford their choice of school/university in the next five years.
Peter Sands, Group CEO of Standard Chartered, said “The rapidly growing middle class is a key driver of economic growth across emerging markets, and this research underscores the strong confidence of these increasingly powerful consumers. They expect their wealth to grow and have clear aspirations to build a better life for themselves and their families. Based on the findings of this research, we should expect to see a very considerable shift in spending patterns across emerging markets in the next five years, as economic power continues to shift eastwards.”
Download the full study
Take a look at a infographic for a snapshot of the findings
Watch a short animated video for more country-specific findings
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For More Information, Please Contact:
- Neema Patel, Manager, Content & Publishing, +44 (0) 207 885 6239, Neema.Patel@sc.com
- Robin Miller, Manager, Communications and Digital Media, GlobeScan, +1 416-969-3076, robin.miller@globescan.com
Notes to Editors
Standard Chartered partnered with GlobeScan to conduct this study. GlobeScan is an independent global research consultancy with over twenty-five years’ experience, including in emerging markets. The study surveyed ‘middle-income’ (emerging affluent and affluent) populations across urban regions in Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.
About Standard Chartered
We are a leading international banking group, with more than 86,000 employees and a 150-year history in some of the world’s most dynamic markets. We bank the people and companies driving investment, trade and the creation of wealth across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where we earn around 90 per cent of our income and profits. Our heritage and values are expressed in our brand promise, Here for good.
Standard Chartered PLC is listed on the London and Hong Kong Stock Exchanges as well as the Bombay and National Stock Exchanges in India.
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