IPSOS’s Latest Report Highlights Key Concerns of Residents of MENA

Multinational market research firm, Ipsos has released the fourth wave of COVID-19 MENA Consumer Sentiment Tracker from April 10 to April 13, 2020; a report on understanding attitudes, behaviors, and future expectations in various countries in the MENA region. The study covered KSA, UAE, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco and was conducted through online surveys. The tracker monitors a multitude of aspects in light of the Coronavirus outbreak, including, but not limited to concerns about the virus, expectations from authorities, changes in behaviors, and perceived impact. Here are the key findings:

• 53% in the UAE, see the effect of the virus on one’s personal health as a quite serious matter.

• On a country level, Morocco is now most likely to perceive the virus as a threat to the country, with Lebanon falling behind since last week.
• The majority of the respondents from each country believe that the virus will have a long-lasting effect on the financial and global economy. 
• With the exception of the UAE, the region’s agreement of the outbreak having an ongoing financial impact has been declining since last week.
• The virus has created a significant impact on the global economy. Concerns about losing jobs, providing for families, and paying bills continue to rise, especially in the UAE and Lebanon.
• The proportion of savings is expected to rise across the region and especially in the UAE.
• With regard to the industries, e-commerce has experienced a surge in popularity in the region and especially in KSA, with 63% relying on e-commerce aggregators to purchase essential products.
• As the pandemic lingers on, the popularity of e-commerce continues to rise progressively in the MENA region.
• The hope of the situation returning back to normal in the region reaches its lowest point.
• 43% of respondents from the UAE are curious about how the virus is impacting the world and what kind of changes will it bring about.  
• 74% of people in Morocco and 71% of people in the UAE believe that people should wear face masks in public, even after the pandemic is over to protect others.