America This Week Wave 152

The latest trends in culture and society from The Harris Poll 

It’s a concern but not a panic. With tech layoffs mounting, nearly half of employed Americans are concerned about losing their jobs (49%, -6%-pt from January 1). However, hybrid and younger workers are the most nervous about job security, with over half concerned about losing their employment (Hybrid: 57%, Millennials: 56%, Gen Z: 53%), according to our new America This Week survey, fielded from January 20 to 22nd among 2,004 U.S. adults.

The latest data (below) show that the economy and inflation continue to be the most important issues to Americans, followed by crime and violence:

Here are a few other things to know this week:

• Did you know that snacks are inflation-proof? (We need Oreos to deal with all this bad economic news)
• Remarkably, Americans know their astrology sign but not their blood type.
• Fixing homelessness is the job of local governments.
• Kevin McCarthy emerges from the speakership fight with a moderate/not far-right image.

Lastly, check out the latest America This Week monthly summary slide deck and tabs for more insights into inflation and shifting consumerism. Download the new December report here.

Snacks Are Inflation-Proof: Mondeléz-Harris Poll

The fourth annual State of Snacking report reveals that while current economic challenges are affecting consumer choices worldwide, snack foods are still essential basket items.

While (89%) of global consumers are concerned about inflation, (75%) agree they “always find room in their budget for snacks.” Other themes in the global survey:

• Curation and Nostalgia: (61%) will go out of their way to find their favorite snacks, and (63%) will pay extra to bring back their favorite childhood snack brands.
• Mindful Snacking: (78%) are more likely to take time to savor indulgent snacks, but (68%) check nutrition labels before buying them.
• Appetite for Sustainability: Over 8 in 10 (82%) say they wish more snacks had biodegradable packaging, and nearly two-thirds (64%) would pay more for snacks that are better for the environment.

Takeaway: Three years into a global pandemic and over a year into record-breaking inflation, consumers worldwide are seeking ‘sweet relief’: (78%) agree it’s more important than ever to have moments of indulgence during their day. And perhaps a bit of mental health and wellness, too: (84%) of consumers worldwide say chocolate is good for the soul. 

More Americans Know Their Astrology Sign, Than Their Blood Type: Quest Diagnostics-Harris Poll

A new Harris survey with Quest Diagnostics finds that Americans need more fundamental knowledge regarding their health.

• More Americans know their astrology sign (66%) and credit score (58%) than their blood type (51%) – and even fewer younger Americans know their blood type (Gen Z: 32%, Millennials: 47%).
• Younger Americans are less apt to go to their HC: While the majority of Americans (63%) get health advice from healthcare professionals (HCPs), only (44%) of Gen Z do, and instead, more than half of Gen Z (52%) utilize Internet searches.
• Additionally, more than one in five Americans (22%) get health advice from social media influencers, especially Gen Z and Millennials (40%, 39% v. Gen X: 18%, Boomers+: 3%).

Takeaway: Nick Bellos, MD, National Medical Director Extended Care Services, Quest Diagnostics, says, “Having high cholesterol levels may not have any symptoms, but it increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Knowing where you stand through diagnostic testing, whether it be your cholesterol level or other markers, will help you manage your health today to stave off disease and costly treatments in the future, hopefully.” Case in point: our survey found that only (20%) know their cholesterol level.

Americans Call For Local Government To Fix Homelessness: Grid-Harris Poll

According to a new survey with Grid, Most Americans believe it’s up to local governments to fix the homelessness epidemic throughout the country.

• Americans believe it’s the responsibility of the local government to take the lead on addressing homelessness, followed next by the state and the federal government:

• Hiding in plain sight: Nearly three-quarters of Americans agree that “excessive homelessness is a sign that local government officials aren’t doing enough to support their residents.”
• And Americans have little faith in their local governments: When asked how they expected homelessness to evolve in their area in the next five years, less than a fifth (17%) said it would get better, and four in ten (41%) said it would stay about the same, with rural Americans have the bleakest outlook:

Takeaway: “The demand for action from a city’s electorate doesn’t seem to be lost on politicians. Mayors across the country campaigned on ending homelessness last year, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. And just this week, the city council approved a $50 million fund for Bass to address homelessness specifically” (Grid).

Documents, Debt Ceilings, and Crypto Regulation: Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll

Harris Poll Chairman (and Stagwell CEO) Mark Penn lays out an interesting analysis in the latest January Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll. Here are a few highlights (download the full report here):

• Biden’s classified documents concern most Americans, including Democrats

• • (64%) of voters, including (44%) of Democrats, think the presence of classified documents in several unsecured locations is a “serious” breach of national security.
  • Half of the voters, including one-third of Democrats, think the DOJ treated Biden’s classified documents case more leniently than Donald Trump’s.
  • (Note: Poll was released before news of documents found in fmr. VP Mike Pence’s home)
• Voters side with Republicans on debt ceiling negotiations and spending restraints
  • Americans care greatly about default: (69%) of voters, including over two-thirds of each party, think a temporary debt default would be a “huge issue.”
  • Given the national debt size ($31 trillion), (63%) of voters want Congress to raise the debt limit only with restraints on future spending.
  • Americans side with the GOP on negotiations: (61%) of voters, including a slim majority of Democrats themselves, think the Democrats should cave to prevent a default.
• Kevin McCarthy emerges with a moderate conservative image from the speakership fight, not far right
  • (78%) of voters see McCarthy as moderate or conservative, not far right.
  • (53%) of voters, including most of both parties, think McCarthy will work with Democrats to create bipartisan legislation.
• Americans are split on non-competes but want more crypto regulation
  • (60%) of Democrats support, and (60%) of Republicans oppose the prospect of an FTC executive order that would ban all non-compete agreements.
  • Most voters want more regulation on cryptocurrencies and consumer privacy/security on the Internet but less or equal regulation on marijuana.
• Support for Social Security and Immigration Unites Most Americans
  • (85%) of voters, including (88%) of Republicans, want legislation that secures Social Security for two more decades.
  • Two-thirds of voters, including (62%) of Republicans, want compromise immigration legislation that strengthens the border but also gives DACA recipients a path to citizenship.

To check out more findings on voter sentiment regarding social security and immigration legislation, non-compete agreements, cryptocurrency regulation, and more, tune into Mark’s/The Hill’s Bob Cusack podcast.