MRF Releases 19th Edition of MAPS® Survey
The Marketing Research Foundation (MRF) has announced the release of the 19th edition, and the third for 2025, of the Marketing All Product Survey (MAPS®), South Africa’s consumer behaviour and media measurement study. This latest release contains two significant updates and delivers first-quarter 2025 data with improved accuracy and population representation.
The third quarterly release of 2025 features population and weighting updates, critical to ensuring the highest levels of quality. These follow comprehensive audit procedures and quality control measures designed to maintain MAPS®’ position as the industry standard for consumer insights and media planning. The data is available from Thursday, 11 September at 12h00.
Population Framework Updated
MAPS® has implemented a population update utilising Statistics South Africa’s 2024 mid-year population estimates, ensuring the survey continues to represent the complexities of South African society accurately. The updated framework reveals that the total population aged 15 years and older has increased by approximately 2 million people from 2022, this is a growth of 4.6% and increases Age 15+ to 45,686,967 individuals.
International auditors Robert Ruud and Brenda Wortley from 3M3A have verified that all processes and procedures meet international standards, ensuring the results achieve maximum precision and reliability.
Weighting Methodology
The current release also introduces an updated weighting system; this follows recommendations from the international auditors and with approval from the MRF Research Committee and Board.
“We’ve prioritised data integrity over speed of delivery,” explained Koster. “These weighting improvements provide our users with more reliable insights into how consumers interact with products, services, and brands across South Africa.”
Industry Impact and Applications
MAPS®, while not a media currency, does however serve as strategic input for media planning, brand strategy and market research across South Africa’s marketing and advertising sectors. The survey’s comprehensive coverage of consumer behaviour, media consumption patterns, and demographic insights enables businesses to make informed decisions about market positioning, media investment, and consumer targeting.
MAPS® delivers improved accuracy for market penetration analysis and brand performance measurement. These improvements are particularly valuable for businesses navigating South Africa’s diverse and evolving consumer landscape.
Data Analysis Recommendations
The MRF advises users to employ careful analytical approaches when conducting comparative studies with the updated dataset. The organisation recommends utilising percentages, proportions, and indexing rather than absolute numbers when performing trend analyses to account for population changes.
“Users should triangulate their results and exercise caution when interpreting shifts in penetration or market share,” noted Koster. “Some variations may reflect the population updates rather than actual market changes, so comprehensive analysis techniques are essential.”
Future Releases
The MRF has confirmed that the fourth and final release for 2025 is scheduled for mid-November, incorporating fieldwork conducted until 30 June 2025. This release will be accompanied by a webinar presentation providing detailed insights and analysis of annual trends.
Comprehensive documentation, including detailed reports, analytical presentations, and recordings of previous webinars, is available on the MRF website at https://mrfsa.org.za/maps/.