The market for surveys and market research - France

Since 2020, the global market for opinion surveys has been adapting to and recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, which saw significant drops in demand and revenue for leading companies in the field. The US market, the largest consumer of surveys, faced a 9.6% contraction due to pandemic-related restrictions but was anticipated to regain momentum in 2021 as companies restructured post-crisis. In France, the market value was projected at nearly 2.5 billion euros, with expectations of future growth despite existing regulatory constraints like the GDPR.

Digitalization has been a major driver, providing accessibility and efficiency, resulting in a competitive landscape with the emergence of digital-native companies such as Happydemics, raising significant funds (nearly €13 million in 2020) and expanding their global customer base. Established players like BVA and Ipsos experienced declines, with BVA entering receivership and Ipsos reporting a 60% reduction in activity by April 2020. The market research industry is seeing a trend towards in-house research due to budget concerns and rapid data needs, with ESOMAR reporting that around 40% of research projects are now conducted internally by companies. In the face of technological advances and an emphasis on data ethics, companies are prioritizing internal over external data collection, with a notable focus on confidentiality and management of large data flows.

Despite these challenges, the sector is expected to bounce back, leveraging digital innovations and specialized services to cater to diverse and changing customer needs, with increasing internationalization of services and an ongoing wave of mergers and acquisitions among major players seeking to enhance their offerings and competitive edge.

Trends and Dynamics in the Country's Opinion Polls and Surveys Market

The market for opinion polls and surveys in the country has been shaped by various trends and demands that characterize its current state and future outlook. A significant trend is the digitalization of the sector, which is not only making survey tools more accessible but has also paved the way for new entrants who are rapidly gaining market share. Companies like Happydemics are one such example, demonstrating impressive growth and servicing customers in numerous countries globally.

Demand for these services is mainly driven by a wide array of clients including the press, government institutions, political parties, public and private companies, and various organizations, all seeking to understand public opinion and consumer behavior better. The market, currently valued at close to €2.5 billion, exhibits a strong B2B structure, with private companies accounting for over 90% of the demand for survey and research services. The COVID-19 crisis undoubtedly left a mark on the industry, causing a sizable contraction in demand. Major players found themselves struggling, leading to some, like BVA, entering into receivership, and others, such as Ipsos, facing a significant reduction in their activities. Nonetheless, the rebound is anticipated as firms reorganize and recover post-crisis, with the hope that restrictive measures will cease, restoring operations and consequently, demand for opinion research.

Regarding market research methods, in-house research is becoming increasingly prevalent. Around 40% of research projects are now conducted in-house, especially among the FMCG and banking sectors due to their heavy reliance on data. Budget constraints, swift changes in consumer behavior, and an ongoing need for an extensive amount of research drive this trend. Research institutes remain a key part of the market's ecosystem, offering a wide array of services. Despite the fact that sales are primarily generated through marketing and advertising research—representing approximately 75%—the visibility and influence political polls garner cannot be understated, although they represent a smaller proportion of institute sales.

The market is seeing a segmentation between large, dominant institutes and smaller firms that often fulfill temporary manpower needs. Large institutes manage to grow, albeit at varying rates, while medium-sized institues witnessed the most pronounced decline. Additionally, the market's seasonal nature indicates peak activity in December, coinciding generally with trends in the service industry. Competition is stiffening with the advent of digital platforms and data science, challenging traditional firms to innovate and expand their capabilities.

Navigating the Landscape: Key Titans of the Opinion Polling Arena

In the dynamic world of opinion polling, there lies a competitive yet vibrant market driven by a handful of prodigious players, each carving out its niche while vying for preeminence. Dominating this realm are the stalwarts of survey-based research, adroit in harnessing public sentiment and curating actionable insights across a spectrum of industries and global marketplaces.

• Ipsos stands tall as a beacon of French origin, holding a venerated spot on the world stage. With an expansive array of research services under its belt, Ipsos not only basks in its domestic dominance but also boasts a significant international presence. The company displays a distinctive blend of traditional research methods married with modern digital tools, reflecting on consumer panels and qualitative data to get to the crux of what moves the masses.
• BVA Group, another luminary with roots in France, has navigated its own path to prominence through strategic maneuvers, including the laudable acquisition of Doxa and its ambitious absorption of the UK's esteemed BDRC. These calculated expansions paint the picture of a forward-thinking entity, not content with domestic prowess alone but aiming to cast a wider net over the international seas of survey research. BVA Group's ventures into creating specialized divisions signal a keen initiative to enhance the customer experience and delve deeper into the nuances that shape public opinion.
• Then there is Médiamétrie, the specialist par excellence in the media sector, delving into audience measurements and analytics with a finesse that has secured its position as an authority figure. Médiamétrie's command over niche expertise embodies the convergence of precision and strategic focus, answering the who's and the how's of media consumption.
• Tracing a similar trajectory towards specialization is IQVIA, a name synonymous with healthcare expertise. As a company that stands apart in the medical sector, IQVIA addresses the unique challenges of its field, showing that in the world of opinion polling and market surveys, depth can indeed triumph over breadth.
• The wave of digital transformation has not eluded industry newcomers like OpinionWay and Synthesio, which have bridged the chasm between traditional survey techniques and digital agility. As companies entrench themselves in the silicon veins of the internet, OpinionWay marks its territory with online surveys, while Synthesio's acquisition by Ipsos highlights the latter's appetite for social media intelligence, underscoring the sector's embrace of data science and advancing technologies.

Inforamtion

• Number of pages : 30 pages
• Format : Digital and PDF versions
• Last update : 05/12/2021

Summary and extracts

List of charts

• Revenues for the "market research and opinion polling" industry in the United States from 2012 to 2024
• Global market research revenues
• Breakdown of the five largest markets
• Size of the French opinion survey market
• Impact of the health crisis on IPSOS sales
• Main outlets in the opinion research market
• Share of sales by customer type
• Output price indices for French services to French businesses (BtoB) - Market research and opinion polling services
• Breakdown of sales by survey type
• Development of in-house studies
• Breakdown of internal and external studies, by type of study carried out
• Changes in behavior regarding the purchase or performance of studies
• Evaluation of research and survey institutes
• Ranking of priority themes in 2021
• The most important characteristics for data collection over a 2 to 5 year horizon
• Growth in research and polling firms
• Monthly change in sales index
• Comparison of monthly sales index trends
• Breakdown of sales by region
• Breakdown of technological uses for study purposes
• Breakdown of planned qualitative studies
• Breakdown of planned quantitative studies