Habbo study: teens worried about the economy and their future
• 73% of the worlds teens are worried about the global economic situation
• 59% fear they will have difficulty finding employment
• 45% have been persuaded to carry with their studies due to difficulty
finding a job
• 50% know somebody who has been made redundant
Helsinki, 16 September 2009. Research conducted by Habbo, the largest virtual world
for teenagers, has revealed the impact of the economic downturn on teens’ lives around the world.
Over 61,000 teenagers aged 12-17 from over 30 countries were surveyed to garner their thoughts on
what the falls in the global markets mean for them.
Despite the stereotypical view of carefree youngsters, the economy is preying heavily on
teens’ minds, with 73% revealing that they are worried about the current global situation. The
highest rates are found in Brazil and Portugal (89%), Singapore (88%), Spain and Latin America
(86%) and the US (84%). The study showed only minor differences between younger and older
respondents; the older were only slightly more worried than the young.
Study or get a job?
As teens make their way into adulthood, thoughts naturally turn to their future and whether
to pursue further education or to enter employment. Finding a job has never been easy and 59% of
teens are worried it will now be even harder. Teens in the Spanish-speaking Habbo world are the
most worried about their prospects with 80% expressing concern, followed by Brazilians and
Portuguese with 78%, and Singaporeans with 77%.
Fears of gaining employment are encouraging 45% of teens to carry on with their studies (76%
are currently students). The countries with the lowest levels of prospective students are Finland
with 19%, the Netherlands with 24% and Sweden with 25%. Conversely the highest rates are found in
Brazil, Italy, Spain and Portugal, all with 60%.
Cash worries
The recession hits close to home for teens, with 50% knowing someone who has been made
redundant. The US has the highest rates with 69% and Norway the lowest with 33%. When it comes to
making cutbacks, 52% percent have noticed a change in their family’s spending habits and 36% have
noticed a change in the weekly shopping budget.
With fluctuations in their family’s spending power, some teens are receiving less pocket
money and as such have had to change their behavior. Globally 51% of respondents say that their
parents are giving them less spending money or they don’t receive any money. As a result 41% of
teens say they are consciously spending less. Spanish teens are being the most cautious (66%)
compared to only 19% of Swedish teens.
Shopping for clothes and accessories is the first thing that teens cut back on with 23%,
followed by console and PC games (19%), food, sweets and beverages (16%), going to the movies
(15%), online entertainment (13%) and music (9%). However, staying in is clearly not an appealing
option to teens as only 33% say that they are in more in the evenings.
How long will it last?
Although teens are generally worried about the economic climate, they’re not that keen to
discuss all the doom and gloom, with 39% saying they don’t talk to anyone about it. When it comes
to thinking how long the situation will last, 15% predict that recovery will come in less than a
year, 44% believe it will happen between 1-2 years, 27% think 3-5 years and 15% think it will take
over 5 years.
“Despite the stereotype of teenagers only being interested in themselves, they are far more
aware of the economic, political and social climate than people give them credit for,” said Emmi
Kuusikko, Director, User and Market Insight, Sulake. “Our research shows that they have deep
concerns about their future prospects given the levels of instability that we currently find
ourselves in.”
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