Poll: Consumers More Likely To Buy Brands Requiring Covid Vaccination

A majority of all age cohorts except millennials (48%) say they are more likely to shop where vaccinations are mandatory. JL 

Illyse Liffering reports in Ad Age via Crains:

53% say they’re more likely to shop in-store at companies that require all employees, whether office or in-store, to get vaccinated, with nearly half (49%) say they’re more likely to shop in-store if customers are required to be vaccinated. 62% of Gen Zers say they would more likely shop at a store that has required employees to be vaccinated, compared with 48% of millennials, 51% of Gen Xers and 54% of Boomers. 70% of people ages 76-93 saying they are more likely to shop at stores with vaccine mandates for employees.

Companies requiring employees to get vaccinated could see a sales lift from Gen Z consumers, according to a new consumer survey.

More than half of Americans polled (53 percent) say they’re more likely to shop in-store at companies that require all employees, whether office or in-store, to get vaccinated, with nearly half (49 percent) say they’re more likely to shop in-store if customers are required to be vaccinated, according to a new Ad Age-Harris Poll. 

Younger consumers are especially receptive to mandates: 62 percent of Gen Zers say they would more likely shop at a store that has required employees to be vaccinated, compared with 48 percent of millennials, 51 percent of Gen Xers and 54 percent of Boomers. Mandatory vaccinations could have the most beneficial impact with senior shoppers, with 70 percent of people ages 76-93 saying they are more likely to shop at stores with vaccine mandates for employees.

The poll surveyed 1,028 people ages 18 and older from Aug.13-16. (Gen Zers are classified by the survey as people 9-24 years old, but only those who were at least 18 years old were surveyed.

The findings come as marketers wrestle with mandatory vaccination policies as the COVID delta variant spreads. Companies including Walmart, Walgreens, McDonald’s, Uber, Lyft and DoorDash are issuing vaccine mandates for only corporate or office workers. But others such as Disney, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines are going a step further and requiring all employees, including those on the front lines, to get potentially life-saving vaccines. It’s much more difficult for companies to impose the same requirements on customers.

The question now becomes how these new mandates might affect public perception, marketing value and potential sales.

The poll shows that brands without definitive vaccine mandates could see sales and positive consumer sentiment weaken against competition with stricter policies in place. Companies deciding to impose a vaccine mandate have to negotiate and reach an agreement with labor unions, and travel brands, such as airlines, remain split. Former CEO of Spirit Airlines Ben Baldanza told CNBC last week that a mandate “could put an airline at odds with their unions.”

While United, Hawaiian and Alaska airlines have announced that all U.S. employees are required to get vaccinated, others including Delta, American, Southwest and JetBlue are encouraging, but not mandating, that staff be vaccinated. Delta Airlines is requiring new hires to be vaccinated.

Over half (54 percent) of Americans say they’re more likely to fly with an airline that requires consumer-facing employees to be vaccinated against COVID, and around the same share (52 percent) say they’re more likely to fly with airlines that require vaccines of passengers.  

In the fitness category, brands such as Equinox and SoulCycle are requiring proof of vaccination for employees and customers. Of people polled, 42 percent say they’re more likely to exercise at a fitness center with vaccine requirements of their employees, with 43 percent saying they’re more likely to exercise at a gym that requires its visitors and members to be vaccinated as well.

Noah Posnick, vice president and head of production for brand advisory and advertising production consultancy Mbc services, said brands prioritizing the health and safety of employees and customers will benefit.

“Most people in this country would prefer a brand that cares. It would be smart if brands taking this stance made it known, but not in a way where they’re loudly patting themselves on the back,” Posnick said. “There’s an opportunity to build brand loyalty right now by simply doing the right thing. Not all brands will do that, and we’ll notice.”

On that note, the Ad Age-Harris Poll found that U.S. consumers want to know a brand’s stance on the matter, especially in their advertising. In fact, 76 percent of those polled say that companies that require employee vaccinations should put that fact in their advertising, with 69 percent saying that consumers have the right to know whether or not a brand requires employees to be vaccinated.

There’s no legal impediment to stop brands from putting these messages in their advertising, according to Linda Goldstein, partner and advertising, marketing and digital media chair at the law firm BakerHostetler. “Brand Activism has become an important component of every brand’s marketing efforts as a way to connect with consumers on important social and political issues,” she added, but warned that brands still need to ensure that their efforts are genuine and align with their practices.

Overall, nearly half of Americans (47 percent) believe employers should require all employees to get vaccinated, according to the poll. The majority of Americans (64 percent) believe mandatory vaccination is the only way the U.S. can recover from the pandemic.

When it comes to customer policies, vaccination requirements are not optional in some cities. For instance, New York City announced at the beginning of August that it is requiring proof of vaccination to enter all restaurants, fitness centers and indoor entertainment venues.

More Americans believe that employees who work face-to-face with customers should be required to be vaccinated over corporate or office workers. Whereas 49 percent of those polled believe employees who work with the public should be required to be vaccinated, only 34 percent believe in-person office workers should have the same requirement. Different sectors of public work saw varying levels of agreement: 69 percent of people surveyed believe those who work in health care should be required to be vaccinated, while 58 percent say that those in the food industry such as servers and bartenders, should be required to be vaccinated. And 45 percent say those in customer service, like cashiers and bankers, should have the same mandate.