Now in its 10th year, fieldwork commenced in May 2009 and has seen researchers communicate with and interview 25 000 purchase decision makers (PDMs) across 100 areas or communities in South Africa in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, North West, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and the Free State.
Amongst other pertinent information, researchers have determined what PDMs read, what they buy, how they spend their time and where they shop. "There are a number of new questions included in Roots 2010, but the basic structure has remained the same to ensure that NAB is able to track trends from 2003 to 2006 to 2009," says Lynne Krog, NAB's research manager.
"The trending will be invaluable for marketers and advertisers as it will clearly depict how areas have changed and how shopping habits have developed. Especially, how shopping habits in Soweto have been influenced by the opening of Maponya Mall," she adds.
Roots 2010 also has a larger focus on Internet and cell phone usage in SA.
Originally developed in 1999, Roots is a quantitative face-to-face interview survey, developed to provide readership, shopping habits, activities and market share information in Caxton's newspaper distribution areas. As in 2004 and 2006, the survey has extended its research areas beyond the footprints of Caxton's newspapers to give its users a national urban landscape of South Africa's retail scene.
