The ‘say-do gap’ is a pretty complex phenomenon, yet it’s something we can all relate to. We claim we’ll prioritise our fitness after Christmas – yet come to the end of January, it feels like too much effort, and our good intentions come to nothing. Maybe we claim that shopping locally is our top priority, and how fond we are of our high streets. But when time is short, and we’re feeling the pinch, we fall back on the supermarkets or Amazon. This disparity between what we say and what we actually do is the ‘say-do gap’. It’s also referred to as the ‘intention-action gap’ and is a much-talked-about phrase in the fascinating world of Behavioural Economics. It’s the void between our intentions and our actions, and for researchers who are aware of its implications, it can be a bit of an issue. Why is the Say-do Gap a problem? When it comes to consumer research, the ‘say-do gap’ can often reveal misleading results – particularly when respondents exaggerate or underestimate their priorities, preferences or intentions. For businesses, this confusing trait of human behaviour leads to contradictions, inaccurate reflections of emerging trends, consumer priorities and market demand – and challenges in forecasting…
