MARKETING RESEARCH 

MRF presents latest overview of SA consumer behaviour and media trends

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

Household income distribution has returned to 2021 levels. Fast-food purchases and eating out continue to steadily decline.

South Africa’s Marketing Research Foundation (MRF) has released its latest Marketing All Product Survey (known as MAPS), delivering a comprehensive view of the country’s consumer behaviour and media trends.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

The foundation says this latest dataset, covering January to December 2024, marks a major milestone for the country’s media and advertising industry by providing a full four-year window into shifting audience patterns, purchasing habits and media consumption. 

 

“With 18 quarterly releases now published since Q3 2020, the MAPS dataset is a strategic resource for advertisers, agencies, media owners and brands seeking to understand and respond to evolving market dynamics,” the MRF states. 

 

With over 20,000 interviews conducted annually by a team of more than 200 field interviewers, MAPS covers all provinces, districts and municipalities. Among the highlights of the latest survey: 

 

Demographic shifts and socio-economic trends 

 

  • The average age of the population remains 38 years, with a gender split of 52% female and 48% male. 

 

  • Household income distribution has returned to 2021 levels, with an average monthly income of R12,100 (US$673). Seventy-seven percent of households earn less than R12,000 while 6% earn more R40,000 ($2,226). 

 

  • The economically active population stands at 38%, with unemployed at 27% and non-active at 35%. 

 

Media consumption patterns 

 

  • Television: 60% of South Africans watched TV in the past week, with 17% spending more than 20 hours per week on the medium. DStv penetration is at 41%.  

 

  • Radio: 45% listened to radio in the past week, with commercial stations attracting 17-million listeners and community stations 4-million. Notably, 11% of the population spends more than 20 hours per week listening to radio. 

 

  • Streaming and On-Demand: 21% of people have access to on-demand streaming services, Netflix (78%), Showmax (47%), and interestingly a 12% access to YouTube (Paid For). Streaming penetration has increased by 139% since 2021. 

 

  • Social Media: Social media penetration has reached 73%, up from 50% in 2021. Facebook remains the most visited video content viewing platform (74% in the past week), followed by TikTok (38%), YouTube (27%), and Instagram (20%). A quarter of South Africans spend more than 20 hours per week on social media. 

 

  • Internet Access: 77% accessed the internet in the past week, with 4.3-million households now having fixed internet access, a 37% increase since 2021. 

 

Consumer behaviour and brand loyalty 

 

  • The average monthly spend on groceries and toiletries has steadily increased, with apparel spend remaining more volatile. 

 

  • Brand loyalty remains strong in cosmetics and toiletries, with 37% and 33% of consumers respectively always buying the same brands. Groceries saw a slight decline in loyalty to 29%, down from 33% in 2021. 

 

  • There has been a 25% decline in weekly fast-food purchases and a 29% decline in eating out since 2021, reflecting economic pressures and changing consumer priorities. 

The full MAPS dataset is available to subscribers, with launch presentations accessible on the MRF website. 

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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.