Latest BAT data report on leisure habits '96 published

The leisure activity of "looking out of the window" is almost extinct today and the old rule of life "one thing at a time" has almost been forgotten. Germans are increasingly living by the motto "do more in the same amount of time". As the productivity of working hours increases, Germans are trying to make their leisure time more attractive. Young people in particular want to experience more and more in the same amount of time. This is confirmed by the recently published Data Report '96 from the Leisure Research Institute of British-American Tobacco, which presented 3,000 people aged 14 and over with a detailed questionnaire containing over 50 leisure activities.

The results of the 96 representative survey point to this: Young people aged 14 to 24 in particular are developing into a new generation that wants to see, hear and experience everything and, above all, not miss anything in life. Young people spend just as much time watching television (89%) and listening to the radio (70%) as the rest of the population. However, they also watch video films twice as often (47% - total population: 23%) and listen to CDs twice as often (74%, +37 percentage points compared to the total population). They also spend time reading books (42%, +8), using computers (29%, +17 ) and playing video games (19%, +14). The hit list of young people's leisure activities outside the home is topped by going to discos (40%, +29), partying (37%, +22) and going to trendy pubs (36%, +15). The next places are occupied by playing sports (35%, +19), going to the cinema (34%, +24) and shopping (33%, +2).

To avoid wasting time, more and more activities are being carried out in leisure time and combined with each other. "In this way, consumer productivity is increasing, but the free availability of time is decreasing," says B-A-T Institute Director Prof Dr Horst W. Opaschowski. "Many leisure activities are done fast-food style or at the same time. The fast pace of life results in superficiality." The total number of individual leisure activities mentioned for 14 to 24-year-olds is a fifth higher than the average for the population.

In their time crunch, young people answer the question "What first?" or "How much of what?" with time management: more activities are packed into the same amount of time and accommodated, carried out quickly and completed simultaneously. All leisure activities are labelled as hectic. Opaschowski: "Young people need to experience this: Consumption also consumes time. Those who want to consume a lot quickly suffer from a lack of time." Even if they don't get enough rest, young people still make time for one thing: sleeping in is still one of their most important leisure activities at 69 per cent (total population 50%).

The new BAT Data Report "Leisure Activities '96" contains the complete questionnaires and evaluation tables with numerous socio-demographic characteristics as well as a commentary by Prof. Dr Horst W. Opaschowski. The volume is available immediately for a nominal charge of DM 98 from the BAT Leisure Research Institute, Alsterufer 4, 20354 Hamburg (fax: 040 - 41513231).