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The latest instalment of ROOTS is significant given the size and scale of the project. The 2010 research project involved approximately 23 000 interviews while the 2013 release will see that sample size swell to more than 30 000. This makes the survey one of the biggest in the country and given that it’s focused on the local urban landscape – the most thorough microscope on the country’s economically active and urban-based decision makers.

NAB’s Joint MD John Bowles says the increasing sample and coverage of ROOTS is a reflection of the demand for insights and knowledge of South Africa’s geographic areas. Retailers in particular are desperate to understand the demographics, buying behaviour and media use of decision makers from one area to the next – where their catchment areas lie. ROOTS is one of the only surveys that can help marketers get to grips with these key issues.

Looking at the broader project Bowles says that what makes the latest round of research especially exciting is the insights that it’ll glean. “In the 2007 release, the market was spending on everything. This was followed by the 2010 release prior to the Soccer World Cup, which showed a major slowdown and included the effects of the recession. What does 2013 hold?

“We believe we’re going to see a much more settled, conservative consumer displaying markedly different purchase behaviour – looking for value and carefully considering their purchases. ROOTS will help us get a view on what retail destinations are top of mind when buyers go shopping.

We’re also going to see the impact of digital media as well as just how different South Africa’s regions and areas are when it comes to their use of the internet and mobile.”

New to this year’s study is detailed internet usage, leveraging TNS’s digital life segmentation as used by TNS across the globe. Given that this data is gathered at the community level, ROOTS becomes an invaluable tool for understanding South Africa’s urban buyers.

The latest round of ROOTS research will be in the field from March 2012 to November 2012 with the new data to be released in March 2013.