Readers Digest Survey of Europe Today, 1969

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The original objective was to produce a marketing survey of 16 countries in Western Europe, to measure their differences as consumers over a wide range of goods and services, and to see how subscribers to European editions of the <i>Reader's Digest</i> compared against the total population of each country. The results are of interest, however, to social planners, sociologists and students of Europe as well as to marketing organizations.Main Topics:The survey, carried out in 16 western European countries in 1969, was intended to up-date and extend the coverage of the 1963 Products and People survey (Survey Number 1511). Coverage was expanded to cover all the countries of EFTA as well as Finland, Spain and the Republic of Ireland. Like the 1963 study, this survey was intended primarily to be a marketing survey of western European countries, to measure these countries' differences as consumers over a wide range of goods and services, and to see how subscribers to the Reader's Digest compared against the total population of each country. However, a number of other broader attitudinal questions have been added, as in 1963, which give the survey a much wider relevance and potential audience than might otherwise be expected. Apart from measuring these and ownership of more than 200 consumer goods and services, information was also collected about the people and families of Europe and their attitudes over a wide range of topics. We present a broad overview of these below. See the questionnaire for more specific information on actual questions asked. 1. Families, Homes and Possessions: size and compostition of households; occupational structures; family incomes; education backgrounds; languages spoken and read; religions; types of accommodation, amenities and tenure; savings, insurance. 2. In the Home: labour-saving equipment; kitchen equipment; washing and cleaning. 3. Food and Drink: information on types of food and drink consumed, preferred. 4. The Leisure Hours: television viewing; involvement in various specified leisure activities, including adult education; second home ownership; pet ownership. 5. Transport and Tourism: automobile ownership; holiday activities and travel. 6. Fashion: attitudes to fashion; amount spent on grooming aids, cosmetics, clothing, wrist-watches. 7. Attitudes to Europe: sense of well-being; knowledge of and attitudes to Common Market and European union; national images and perception of same; identification of and attitudes towards various countries and their products. 8. Socio-Cultural Attitudes: attitudes to advertising; the generation gap; social tolerance (class, sex, religion, colour etc.), attitudes towards law-breakers and social justice; honesty and family relationships

Personal Papers (MS 80-0002)

Advertising letter from the Reader's Digest Association describing the value of their magazine and requesting the return of an order card