Current research, 223
28 May 2010
BAT Foundation for Future Issues publishes new study on leisure activities in Germany
Everyday life in times of crisis: More „leisure time at home“
Television, family, and lounging dominate.
Germans are known to cherish their leisure time. Accordingly, their expectations for their free time are high: fun, action and adventure, culture, sports and relaxation, meeting family, friends and acquaintances, and much more. These are the ideals. However, in economically uncertain times, a diverse and varied leisure program must also be affordable. Therefore, it is not surprising that Germans prefer to relax at home. Relaxing in front of the television (971%), talking on the phone (911%), and listening to the radio (891%) are unchallenged at the top of the list of leisure activities. This is according to the "Leisure Monitor 2010," in which the Foundation for Future Issues – an initiative of British American Tobacco – surveyed a representative sample of 4,000 people aged 14 and over in Germany about a total of eighty leisure activities.
The most frequent leisure activities that Germans regularly engage in, meaning at least once a week, almost all take place within their own four walls. Besides reading newspapers/magazines (79%), Germans primarily dedicate this time to their family (72%) and partner (67%). But Germans also regularly pursue their own personal leisure activities: almost three-quarters of the population take time to reflect on their thoughts (71%). Two-thirds sleep in (65%), and half enjoy relaxing and doing nothing (50%). Much of this is reminiscent of the cocooning trend from the 80s and 90s, which involved retreating into one's own home and privacy. However, the reasons for this have changed, according to leisure expert Dr. [Name] of the BAT Foundation. Ulrich Reinhardt: „We are currently experiencing Cocooning 4.0. The first wave was a retreat into comfort and coziness. The second wave, during the stock market boom years, was characterized by a new narcissism, in which one's own home became an object of self-styling. After September 11, 2001, cocooning then became synonymous with protection and harmony with family and friends. Currently, it is more of a forced and recession-induced cocooning. Uncertainty and worries about the future are causing many Germans to spend their free time at home.“
Mobile phone use is the only top ten leisure activity that (mostly) doesn't take place at home (65%). Whether on the way to work, while waiting for the next bus, in a restaurant, at the hairdresser, or in the supermarket, Germans use almost every free minute to exchange information or trivialities via mobile phone. "Since flat rates and low fees have become commonplace, mobile phone calls not only serve as a communication bridge to others, but often also as a way to combat boredom," says Ulrich Reinhardt.
Low-income earners are helping themselves more again.
In recent decades, leisure time has often been equated with consumption time. Consequently, the frequency of leisure activities increased with income: those who earned a lot could do a lot. Low-income earners, on the other hand, were mostly left behind and participated less frequently in almost all leisure activities – three exceptions consistently proved the rule: lower income groups were more active in handicrafts, doing nothing, and attending religious services. However, the current Leisure Monitor from the BAT Foundation reveals a shift. Instead of merely dreaming about a wonderful world of leisure, low-income earners are taking matters into their own hands. Almost thirty out of eighty leisure activities are now pursued more often by citizens with low incomes (less than €1,000 net monthly income) than by those with higher incomes (net income over €3,500).
While theater visits, spa treatments, and day trips are more frequently undertaken by those with higher incomes, a shift has occurred, particularly in the social sphere. For example, those with lower incomes engage more actively with their neighbors, whether through casual conversation or practical assistance. They meet more often with friends, offer each other more help with DIY projects, and form more new friendships. Even in some sporting activities, lower-income earners are more active: they cycle more, hike more often, and generally take more steps to improve their health. Reinhardt explains: "The increasing uncertainty during times of crisis leads many people to consider affordable leisure activities. However, affordable doesn't mean undemanding, less meaningful, or less enjoyable. This trend is accompanied by a revaluation of social leisure activities in the immediate vicinity of one's home and neighborhood – a very positive development for society.".
This certainly doesn't mean the end of restaurants, cinemas, or shopping centers, because consumer desires remain. For example, one in seven low-income earners cites "earning extra money" as a leisure activity (141,000 compared to 111,000 for the total population) in order to occasionally indulge in more expensive leisure activities.
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