In an age of data-driven decisions, telephone surveys support FMCG market research in Sub-Saharan Africa by bridging the gap between brands and consumers across diverse economic, linguistic, and geographic landscapes. As mobile penetration continues to rise across the region, voice-based surveys have become a reliable tool for gathering fast, scalable, and authentic consumer insights.

Why FMCG Brands Must Understand Sub-Saharan African Consumers

The FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) industry in Sub-Saharan Africa is booming, driven by:

• A growing young population with high consumption potential

• Urbanization and rising disposable income

• Expanding retail infrastructure, both traditional and modern trade

• Mobile-first behavior, with over 650 million mobile connections in the region

To succeed in such a dynamic market, FMCG brands need deep, real-time insights into what drives consumer decisions from taste preferences and packaging appeal to price sensitivity and retail availability.

This is where telephone surveys, particularly those powered by CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing), become indispensable.

 The Role of Telephone Surveys in FMCG Research

Telephone surveys support FMCG market research in Sub-Saharan Africa in the following critical ways:

1. Wide Reach Across Diverse Locations

• Mobile networks cover areas traditional surveys can’t.

• Telephone interviews can target rural and peri-urban populations often overlooked in digital surveys.

2. Speed and Efficiency

• Real-time interviews and faster turnaround times than fieldwork.

• Data can be collected, cleaned, and analyzed in days rather than weeks.

3. Higher Response Rates Than Online Surveys

• Unlike online surveys that depend on internet access or literacy, telephone surveys accommodate all education levels.

• Respondents are more engaged during live voice interactions.

4. Cost-Effectiveness

• Reduces travel, logistics, and printing costs associated with face-to-face surveys.

• Scalable across multiple regions without field teams.

5. Multilingual and Culturally Relevant

• CATI allows real-time language switching by trained local interviewers.

• Questions are culturally contextualized to improve understanding and reduce bias.

6. Rich, Probed Responses

• Interviewers can clarify unclear responses, probe deeper, and ensure all questions are answered properly.

• Results are completer and more insightful than many self-administered surveys.

 What Kind of FMCG Data Can Telephone Surveys Uncover?

FMCG brands in Sub-Saharan Africa use telephone surveys to:

• Track brand awareness and loyalty

• Understand consumer purchase drivers and barriers

• Evaluate promotions and campaign effectiveness

• Get feedback on product packaging, pricing, or availability

• Identify market gaps or emerging consumption trends

Case Example:

An FMCG snack brand expanded into Uganda and used telephone surveys to test product acceptability. Real-time feedback helped them adjust their pricing strategy and refine messaging before a nationwide launch.

 Why CATI is the Preferred Method for Telephone Surveys

CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) brings automation, quality control, and data accuracy to traditional phone interviews. Here's how CATI makes a difference:

• Automated logic checks to ensure consistency

• Skip patterns that make interviews faster and relevant

• Immediate data upload and access

• Supervised quality control for training and performance tracking

• Multilingual interface to match language with location

 The Future: Combining CATI with FMCG Analytics

As artificial intelligence and analytics advance, telephone surveys are evolving too. FMCG brands are now integrating CATI results with:

• Retail audit data

• Social listening trends

• Supply chain analytics

This combined intelligence helps brands create hyper-local strategies tailored to each market’s preferences.

 Why FMCG Companies Choose CATI Africa

At CATI Africa, we specialize in executing high-quality telephone surveys across all 46 Sub-Saharan African countries. Our network of trained, multilingual interviewers and CATI-enabled call centers ensures your FMCG research is timely, accurate, and actionable.

Whether you're launching a new product or understanding regional buying behavior, we help you speak directly to your consumers and truly listen.

 Ready to Understand Your Market Better?

Empower your next FMCG campaign with data that speaks.
Partner with CATI Africa today to unlock voice-driven insights that fuel smarter decisions in Sub-Saharan Africa.