The evolution of our relationship to the home depends on an individual’s time of life

More than 8,000 people surveyed in more than 10 countries
“Home 22” is a study about the relationship of individuals to their home, whose purpose it is to inform the strategy and the offer of ADEO companies. Conducted in 10 different countries simultaneously, between March and April 2022, this quantitative study was carried out via a 30-minute online questionnaire.
This made it possible to survey more than 8,000 people in total, on the basis of representative samples of the population in each country. The targets of the study: individuals of 20 years or more, financially independent and responsible or co-responsible for the improvement of their homes.

Accompanying inhabitants in their 5 main ‘times of life’

It is the calling of ADEO retail brands to support inhabitants throughout their lives. Yet at each of these stages, the relationship to the home evolves: to begin with there is the first home without our parents; then perhaps moving in with a partner, as a couple; then the first home bought; the birth of a child or perhaps a move. But also a divorce, the departure of a grown-up child, or even an accident that might lead to dependency, and inexorably old age, which requires a change of layout…
All these times of life correspond to different needs to be met, if we want to address everyone.

Specific expectations, needs and obstacles

To make the connection with the business of ADEO retail brands, the Customer Insights teams have studied the relationship to the home of each of these populations. For the historical heart of the customer base, namely families with child(ren), the home at once represents a cocoon, a life project and a source of pride. As the family grows, it is more quickly restricted in terms of space. However, families usually have less available time than other populations, which can be an obstacle in their home improvement projects. They are therefore particularly in need of solutions to facilitate daily life.

If we group together active seniors and the retired, the over 55’s represent 38% of the sample studied.
This ageing population has expectations and needs that are relatively homogeneous. It is characterised by a lesser degree of confidence in one’s physical abilities, a less significant pleasure taken in DIY, and a lesser tendency to initiate home improvement projects, even more so if they have to be carried out without support. These seniors and retired individuals will also be more attentive to price, to advice and to the quality of service in their purchases. They are also more interested in the ease of maintenance and generally seek practicality.

For their part, younger people invest regularly in the improvement of their homes. They carry out work that may indeed be on a smaller scale, but they do so more frequently. The main obstacles to their projects are related to a sense of lacking in skill, but also and more specifically to their living situation, as they are more often tenants than home owners and more often consider moving. They put the emphasis, above all, on enjoyment and on modular solutions. The key driver for them remains freedom of movement.

Tell me which room you prefer to spend on and I’ll tell you who you are
The Home 22 study tells us, among other things, that depending on their time of life, inhabitants do not focus their attention on the same rooms in their homes. Younger people tend to invest first in their bedroom and sitting room. For families, the living room is also very important, but so are the bathroom and kitchen.
Finally, for the over-55s, its the latter two that steal the show, with a marked preference among working seniors for improving their kitchen.

DIY, digital and responsibility: the keys to seducing tomorrow’s customers

How do we engage these different populations? A strong common interest that we can draw on is the DIY aspect. In fact, we observe a significant correlation between the degree of DIY and the degree of satisfaction in relation to the home: the more we do-it-ourselves, the more satisfied we are.
A virtuous circle exists in relation to the practice: the more we do-it-ourselves, the greater our self-confidence, enjoyment and skill-level, and thus the more we carry out numerous and substantial DIY jobs.

For younger categories who are hesitant in getting started, it is a good idea to support them on this path which brings pleasure and makes the home a truly “positive” place. This can be achieved by beginning with small tasks, to gradually move on to more important work. Of course, this can be accomplished using online content such as video tutorials or over social networks, which are often favoured by a younger public who are more connected to online communities, especially among women.

More broadly speaking, in their consumer behaviours, this younger population is also attentive to the reviews of other consumers that can be read on the various websites. The younger the target, the more attentive they are to this. The same goes for environmental issues and ethical consumption. For example, customers of ADEO retail brands are more used to hiring tools (instead of buying them) when they are young. While this population today still represents a minority share of customers in our companies, it does however need to be addressed and increasingly engaged: these customers make up the heart of tomorrow’s target, and therefore our future.