Gen Z Consumer Survey in India: Who to Target, How to Ask
How to survey Gen Z consumers in India: which age bands to target, splitting Gen Z from millennials, mobile-first design, consent for teens and a question bank.
In shortTo survey Gen Z in India, target the 18-24 age band and add a birth-year question to separate Gen Z from millennials in the 24-35 band. Design for phones: short, visual and in the respondent's language. Respondents under 18 need parental consent. Ask about behaviour, such as discovery and spending, before opinion. Hercules Works targets by city, age band, gender and NCCS on an app-based panel, so smartphone users only.
Contents
Gen Z Is a Birth-Year Group, Panels Use Age Bands
Teams ask for "Gen Z" but panels target by age band. The two do not line up exactly, so a survey has to bridge them. Pew Research Center's 2019 article says anyone born from 1997 onward is part of a new generation after Millennials, who were born between 1981 and 1996 (Pew). Definitions vary by source, so state yours.
This guide shows how to target, design and consent. The question bank is illustrative.
Targeting Gen Z With Age Bands
Our age bands are 18-24, 24-35, 35-45, 45-55 and 56-90. Use the 18-24 band for younger adult Gen Z. The 24-35 band mixes Gen Z and millennials, so add a birth-year or age question and split in analysis.
| Goal | How to reach | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Younger adult Gen Z | Age band 18-24, plus a screener | Smartphone users only |
| Gen Z and young millennials | Bands 18-24 and 24-35, then split by birth year | State your definition |
| College students | 18-24 plus a screener: currently enrolled, course from a list | Not all 18-24 are students |
| Teenagers under 18 | Not a standard targeting field; needs parental consent | See the teen survey guide |
Add city and gender targeting where the question needs it. Any Indian city can be named; ask for a feasibility count.
Design for Phones and Short Attention
- Keep it short, and cut anything that does not feed a decision.
- Use images and short video for stimuli where the question is about content or a product.
- Write in the respondent's language. Surveys run in as many Indian languages as the study needs.
- Ask about behaviour (what they did last week) before attitudes.
- Avoid long grids. See questionnaire design.
Question Bank
| # | Block | Question | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Screener | Birth year, and are you currently studying or working? | Single choice |
| 2 | Discovery | Where did you last discover a new brand or product? | Single choice |
| 3 | Spending | What did you spend on in the last month, from this list? | Multi-select |
| 4 | Platforms | Which apps did you use yesterday? | Multi-select |
| 5 | Trust | How much do you trust each source when choosing a product? | Grid |
| 6 | Brand | What makes a brand feel right for you? | Multi-select |
| 7 | Values | How important is it that a brand ___? | 5-point scale |
| 8 | Open end | Describe a brand you like and why | Open text |
Limits
An app-based panel reaches smartphone users and may lean towards some cities. Do not describe results as "all Gen Z in India". For under-18s, you need parental consent under data-protection rules. See the DPDP Bill summary from PRS and the ESOMAR Code.
Running This Study on Hercules
If your job is a survey of adult Gen Z consumers in India, this is the pilot and main study at list price. Target 18-24 and split by birth year in analysis.
| Step | Plan | Responses | Price per response | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test the questionnaire | Free | 30 | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| Small pilot | Plus | 100 | ₹150 | ₹15,000 |
| Main study | Pro | 400 | ₹120 | ₹48,000 |
Pro is sold in bundles of 400 to 1,000 responses and costs 20% less per response than Plus. Enterprise plans come with a dedicated research team and are priced on request.
The SuperJ network has a 25M+ consumer footprint. The survey-eligible panel is a subset, and availability depends on your targeting. Members complete Aadhaar-based KYC once, and each study receives a zero-knowledge proof of verification. Surveys run in as many Indian languages as the study needs. Quality checks flag speeders, straight-lining and inconsistent answers. Read /panel-methodology and pricing.
The limit: the app reaches smartphone users only, so offline households need face-to-face fieldwork.
Frequently asked questions
How do I survey Gen Z in India?
Target the 18-24 age band, add a birth-year question to separate Gen Z from millennials in the 24-35 band, design for phones and ask about behaviour before opinion.
Can I survey teenagers on the same panel?
Respondents under 18 need parental consent and are not a standard targeting field. See the teen survey guide.
What years are Gen Z born?
Pew's 2019 article treats anyone born from 1997 onward as a new generation after Millennials, who were born 1981 to 1996. Definitions vary, so state yours.
Is a Gen Z survey on an app panel representative?
No. It reaches smartphone users in the cities you target. Report it as the views of those respondents.
How long should a Gen Z survey be?
Short. Cut every question that does not feed a decision and check the length on a phone.
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