We're getting even more upmarket

Data from the National Readership Survey show that, despite our gloomy views of the British economy, the country as a whole is becoming more middle class and the South of England even more so.

The National Readership Survey (NRS) has been providing newspaper and magazine publishers with the official readership estimates for their publications for over 50 years.   But it is also the industry source of social grade - the A, B, C1, C2, D, E classification system used by market research and marketing practitioners in the UK.  Given that the survey can be used to track changes in the GB population over time, we can chart the country’s changing social grade profile.

In 1970, a third of the population were classified as the relatively affluent ABC1, whilst in 2010 this proportion had increased to over half (55%), a reflection of the changing economic landscape over that 40 year period.  See also the Ipsos MediaCT thought piece on social grade.

One also hears talk about the “North-South” divide.  Over 3 in 5 (62%) living in the South are ABC1 compared with 51% for those north of the Watford Gap.  Back in 2001, this ABC1 profile was 59% and 46% respectively.  Looking more closely at the regions, it is the North West that has increased its ABC1 profile the most in the last decade or so (48% to 56%).  One wonders whether this is down to urban re-generation or the influx of multi-millionaire footballers to Manchester!