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What are the Mosaic statistics? Mosaic is a classification designed to describe typical characteristics of local neighbourhoods. Each postcode is classified into one of 61 different types, each of which has a description of the typical type of person living at that location, based on the demographic and economic characteristics of the area and taking into account things like shopping habits, culture and lifestyles. From Experian's website: "Mosaic UK is the latest version of Experian's
market-leading consumer segmentation product. It classifies all 24 million UK
households into 11 groups, 61 types and 243 segments, and is updated each year. Further information and details about each of the categories can be got from the Mosaic website. Full descriptions of each of the groups is available in the Word document downloadable from this webpage as well. An example of one of these groups and descriptions is: "Type D23: Industrial Grit Sociology and Environment Summary Industrial Grit contains owners of older, comfortable but unpretentious houses, often in ex-mining areas, who work in manufacturing and assembly plants. Demography People in Industrial Grit live in communities that for generations have relied on mines and manufacturing plants for their employment, and on their own hard work to fund the purchase of the homes they live in. These are self sufficient, family oriented people. Many were not brought up in a culture where education was seen as a prerequisite for a successful career. Instead, an early marriage, an industrial apprenticeship, and a mortgage on an older but nevertheless spacious house set the framework for their lifestyle. The common sense virtues of reliability and responsibility are valued more highly than creativity or individual style. In these households both men and women, and quite often grown up children too, will be working locally in adequately paid factory jobs, whether as supervisors, skilled craftsmen or routine assembly operators. These people are described by development agencies as a ‘good’ labour force, co-operative yet not overly demanding. Most households will have at least one child and often a single car. The population is marked by an absence of people from ethnic minorities. Environment Neighbourhoods of Industrial Grit are most common in the Welsh mining valleys and in the Midlands coalfields where, unlike South Yorkshire and Durham, there has been a long tradition of owner occupation. They are particularly common in the early twentieth century mining districts where coalmines are found mixed in with processing plants and foundries, and where houses are therefore not all of one period. Industrial Grit housing consists of some better quality late Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing, often with interesting detailing, typically offering a bay window and small front garden. In the Midlands, neighbourhoods of Industrial Grit often contain estates of basic inter war semis as well as Edwardian terraces, typically with a bow window but little further ornamentation. Cars will be parked on the road and public houses will often be more evident than corner shops. Much of the shopping is of rather poor quality, in rather old-fashioned shops on street corners and along the more important roads. These areas generally have poor access to the retail parks and modern suburban centres found in larger cities. Economy Neighbourhoods of Industrial Grit are generally found in those areas of the country where employment has held up notwithstanding the demise of the mining industry. When these neighbourhoods were built, wage rates would have been relatively high. They are now areas of lower than average wages. Nevertheless unemployment rates are below the national average. The types of jobs people have tend to be ones which offer overtime and which allow younger people to earn as much as, or more, than their older colleagues. This, and the low take up of further education, makes it quite possible for young people to afford their own homes at quite an early stage in their career. With the decline of mining in nearby communities, many of these neighbourhoods have benefited from the efforts of regional development agencies to introduce new industry to their areas in the form of large new industrial estates such as those in Treforest and Bridgend in South Wales. Consumer Values Industrial Grit is a culture that values responsibility, reliability and consistency over flair and self analysis. People have a particularly local orientation, having mostly been brought up in the community in which they live and enjoying the support of an extended family network. Few people will have been exposed to external cultures, whether of immigrants or of urban professionals. Few will have travelled abroad other than on holiday, when they would have been quite happy to eat English food and drink English beer. Pubs and drinking are important features of life in these neighbourhoods, and drunkenness and marital disputes are more serious sources of trouble to the police than malicious crime. Politically Industrial Grit has been the traditional Labour heartland. However with the demise of the mining industry and the consequent weakening of the influence of trades unions, these are areas in which New Labour has performed relatively poorly during recent general elections. Consumption Patterns Industrial Grit spends a high share of its disposable income on smoking and on drinking. It also represents quite a good market for do it yourself products. Change As mining becomes a more distant memory and as UK manufacturing specialises in higher technology products, it is likely that neighbourhoods of Industrial Grit will take on a more suburban, dormitory character. Increases in perceived levels of crime and of congestion in big cities may work to the advantage of what are essentially small town communities, provided their monochrome culture can become more accepting of incomers with backgrounds different to their own. Culture and Consumer Psychology These people live in reasonably large terraced or semi-detached houses near to industrial areas, often where mining is, or has been, the main source of employment. Renting is uncommon and most property is either owned outright or mortgaged. Remortgaging is notable in these areas. There are some social and environmental problems but they are not severe and the residents generally feel that these areas are fairly pleasant places to live. The health record of people is quite good. There are few ethnic groups and the areas display a very orthodox working class culture. There is a fair spread of all ages, but young adults and children are slightly over-represented, indicating young ‘full nest’ families. Couples with two children are the norm, but there is a variety of family arrangements, and an enduring marriage is not universal. With only modest qualifications up to GCSE, restricted local opportunities and limited ambitions, most people have basic jobs as process or plant workers, but some have semi-skilled and skilled trades. Mining has often been replaced by manufacturing, and a high proportion of women as well as men are employed in this sector. If there have been structural shifts in employment patterns, these have not been severely disruptive or enduring. The local economy is usually strong and this is reflected in low unemployment. Income levels are modest but adequate. These are not poor working class areas but there is no wealth. Probably because of the presence of children as well as some extravagances, many have significant levels of debt, and this is sometimes through unsecured loans. Few have savings or much interest in investments. A limited income means that these people have to shop carefully, but while this applies to routine shopping, it does not always extend to more expensive items. Routine shopping takes place at a mix of stores but usually discount stores, where these people look for a child-friendly environment and are particularly interested in prices. The limited income, together with the cultural tradition, results in a high level of shopping via mail order, particularly where interest free credit is available. There is little or no interest in the Internet for either information or for shopping of any kind, but where there are children, Internet connected games are popular. Marketing signals help these people to choose, but their tastes are not very extensive or sophisticated. The impact here of marketing is more likely to be at the level of brand choice rather than, say, at the level of encouraging new product trial and adoption. Apart from entertainment products, these people are ‘late adopters’. The households usually have access to one car and sometimes two, and these are usually small to medium sized cars of any make or model. There is likely to be an element of approval seeking in the purchasing and ownership of expensive durables. Leisure time follows the classic patterns of working class behaviour and for the adults, TV viewing provides standard entertainment. Digital TV has a high penetration in these areas, and the use of videos and DVDs to supplement the already substantial choice of viewing will be common in many households. Betting and bingo absorb some leisure time and money. Trips to the football match and to the pub are frequent. Drinking habits are likely to be old fashioned with a pronounced gender split, where men are usually heavy beer drinkers. The young adults have an interest in pop and rock music. Newspaper readership is confined to the standard fare of tabloids such as the Mirror, the Sun and the News of the World. Few can afford or have the inclination to take a holiday beyond camping and caravanning. But for some, these activities will appeal to their sense of self-reliance and adventure. The perceived ideal holiday is usually the lazy beach holiday under a hot sun. If this occurs and it involves travel abroad, it will be to a very anglicised location, where there is little evidence of local culture. These people have no real interest in the Arts, in wine or in good food. They have no sensitivity towards any need for healthy eating, and probably for healthy drinking. Family life still has a pronounced significance for these people and they usually sit down for Sunday lunch or dinner with a roast. The Church matters little, and this has been the case for many years. For these people, and for many decades, there has probably been no fundamental shift in underlying values and behaviours with respect to both work and leisure. They live a well-defined existence, and they rarely step outside the boundaries of what is known and understood. For some, this may be a fear of change, rather than simply discomfort. They are generally happy with their introverted worlds and, deliberately or not; they seek to keep it that way. These people have inherited and maintained a fairly standard working class culture. So far at least, they have been insulated from the profound changes which have affected some who have a similar heritage." |
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