Mosaic is Experian's system for geodemographic classification of households. It applies the principles of geodemography to consumer household and individual data collated from a number of government and commercial sources. The statistical development of the system was led by professor Richard Webber in association with Experian in the 1980s, and it has been regularly refreshed and reclassified since then, each based on more recent data from national censuses and other sources. Since its initial development in the UK, the Mosaic brand name has also been used to market separate products which classify other national consumers including most of Western Europe, USA, selected Asian regions and Australia.
The initial UK version was based at the postcode level, which would cover an average of 20 properties with the same code. More recent versions have been developed at the individual household level and offer more accurate classification based on specific characteristics of each household. The 2009 Mosaic UK version, for example, classified the UK population into 15 main socio-economic groups and, within this, 67 different types.
Professor Webber also developed the competing ACORN system with CACI. Both Mosaic and Acorn have found application outside their original purpose of direct marketing, including governmental estimates and forecasts, and it is regularly employed by life insurance companies and pension funds in the UK to assess longevity for pricing and reserving.[1] Both are also used extensively in understanding local service users, although Mosaic's naming has proved to be controversial, leading Experian to introduce Mosaic Public Sector with more politically correct segment names.
In 2004 individuals in the UK were classified into 11 main groups and 61 distinct types. The classifications change over time and as of 2024, 15 summary groups and 66 detailed types are now used by Experian.[2] These changes can be significant, such as group G representing 'Domestic Success' in 2024 as opposed to 'Municipal Dependency' in 2004.
| Group | Distinct types[3] | Percentage of UK Households | Typical names | Social Groups | Description | Media | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbols of Success (A) | A01 Global Connections A02 Cultural Leadership A03 Corporate Chieftains A04 Golden Empty Nesters A05 Provincial Privilege A06 High Technologists A07 Semi-Rural Seclusion | 9.62% | Rupert and Felicity | Upper Middle and Middle Middle class | This group represents the wealthiest 10% of people in the UK, set in their careers and with substantial equity and net worth. These people tend to be white British but with some Jewish, Indian and Chinese Minorities. Tends to contain older people advanced in their careers. | Internet, some TV | |
| Happy Families (B) | B08 Just Moving In B09 Fledgling Nurseries B10 Upscale New Owners B11 Families Making Good Middle Rung Families | 10.76% | Darren and Joanne | Lower middle class and Middle middle class | Families from Middle England, focussed on children, home and career. tends to be in new suburbs in more prosperous areas of the UK, Mostly white with few minorities | Sky TV and internet | |
| Suburban Comfort (C) | C20 Asian Enterprise | 15.10 % | Geoffrey and Valerie | Lower Middle Class | People in comfortable homes in mature suburbs built between 1918 & 1970, moderate incomes. Includes Middle class Asian Enterprise | Internet, Daily Mail | |
| Ties of Community (D) | D25 Town Centre Refuge | 16.04 % | Lee and Norreen | Lower middle class and Skilled working class | People focussed on local communities, families concentrated near Industrial areas, Includes lower income Asians | The Mirror, The Sun | |
| Urban Intelligence (E) | 7.19 % | Ben and Chloe | Mixture of Middle classes | Young educated people in urban areas starting out in life, Includes significant minority presence and students | The Guardian, The Times, and internet | ||
| Welfare Borderline (F) | 6.43 % | Joseph and Agnes | Working class and Poor | Poorest people in the UK, Urban with significant ethnic minority presence | The Sun, and high TV viewing | ||
| Municipal Dependency (G) | 6.71% | Wayne and Leanne | Working class and Poor | Poor people in council houses and dependent on benefits, Mostly white British with few immigrants | The Sun, and high TV viewing | ||
| Blue Collar Enterprise (H) | 11.01% | Dean and Mandy | Skilled Working Class | Enterprising rather than well educated, includes White Van Man, Few Ethnic minorities | The Sun, and high TV viewing | ||
| Twilight Subsistence (I) | 3.88 % | Percy and Ada | Working class pensioners | Poorer pensioners in council houses, few ethnic minorities | The Sun, and high TV viewing | ||
| Grey Perspectives (J) | 7.88% | Edgar and Constance | Middle Class pensioners | Pensioners in comfortable retirement and traditional values | Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail | ||
| Rural Isolation (K) | ...last one is K61 Upland Hill Farmers | 5.39% | Huw and Gwenda | Mixed | Rural People with relatively low incomes but high non liquid assets, traditional values, very few ethnic minorities | Internet, Radio 4 |