The “safety net” culture in Western Europe makes many consumers expect the state to protect them against downturns, and be there for them in case of trouble. For example, YPulse told you how the French government responded actively to the COVID-induced mental health crisis by offering free therapy for all citizens. Now, post-COVID, governments across the continent have decided to act and help these consumers get out of the house and enjoy life-both to benefit the gens that have gotten used to staying home, and undoubtedly to help stimulate spending in their countries.
And this is perfect timing, as more Gen Z is going out than before in the region: YPulse’s data shows that 42% of European Gen Z say they go out more often than they did last year, showing that this gen wants to experience things out of the comfort of their homes. Today YPulse brings you three examples of policies happening in Western Europe specifically designed to help Gen Z get out and jumpstart cultural spending in their countries:
The German capital is giving young consumers a “cultural credit card” that includes access to nightclubs
Berlin has recently invested €100 million to help Gen Z go out and discover its cultural scene. The German capital must have read YPulse’s research showing that only one-quarter of young Germans are going out more often than they used to, the lowest rate in Western Europe. To tackle the issue, Berlin created the Jungendkulturkarte: a “culture card” for 18-23-year-olds with €50 on it, to be used in many cultural venues in the capital, like museums, cinemas, and theaters. The culture card was nicknamed the clubbing card when people realized that nightclubs were included in the list of cultural places where Gen Z could use the card. No doubt young Berliners are happy to receive a helping hand through the Jungendkulturkarte. These young consumers have felt the effect of inflation recently, and YPulse recently informed you how housing prices in the German capital have skyrocketed in recent years, to the point that young people are turning away jobs in the city to move elsewhere.
France and Germany are offering train tickets to Gen Z to boost travel between the two countries
France and Germany are giving away more than 60K train tickets for young people under the age of 27 to encourage them to travel between the two countries this summer. Both countries are trying hard to incentivize Gen Z to travel by train, and have released subsidized subscription programs targeting young people: the “Max Jeune” card allows French Gen Z to travel unlimited for €79 in the country, while Germany has put in place a similar program for only €49. But never before have France and Germany given away train tickets for free to young people to get them excited about traveling in the region.
Many young Europeans plan to travel this year, leading European countries to expect tourists to flood in soon. YPulse has long documented young people’s love for traveling, but now that the threat of the pandemic is behind them, these young consumers are planning to hit the road big time—yes, “revenge traveling” is real. Data from our recent Life Milestones and Future Plans Report shows a third of European Gen Z said traveling is one of their top resolutions this year, so no doubt many will try to get a free train ticket to travel between France and Germany this summer.
Spain is gifting all young people turning 18 this year with a €400 Youth Cultural Card
The Spanish government launched the Bono Cultural Joven last year: a €400 voucher given to all Spanish citizens who are turning 18. The specificity of this voucher system is that it covers more than cultural outings like concerts, movies, and museum exhibitions: a quarter of the card’s value can be used for “cultural products in physical support,” including old-fashioned CDs, newspapers, and magazines; and another €100 covers digital media, e-subscriptions, and video games. Due to the success of the Bono Cultural, the Spanish government decided to reconduct the scheme for another year so Spanish Gen Z turning 18 this year can enjoy it, too.
The Bono Cultural made the headlines recently because the Spanish government deliberately excluded bullfighting from the list of cultural activities that can be used for. Bullfighting has been a passionate topic in Spain for years, opposing animal rights activists with those who see it as a legit Spanish cultural activity. The deliberate omission sparked a heated debate, and went all the way up to the Spanish Supreme Court, which finally ruled that bullfighting had to be included in the voucher scheme. YPulse’s data from WE Causes / Charity & Activism Report shows that 31% of Spanish young people are passionate about animal rights, making it the top social cause this demographic is passionate about.
