Cost of energy, development at foreign exchange markets, exploding costs for health care, pension provisions, research and education, costs for fighting poverty, epidemics as well as terrorism, war and the consequences of war, rising costs for public service, securing and expanding infrastructures, fighting ecological destruction, development of new energies, protecting what is still whole in nature, fighting and lowering national debt – all of these problems are prevailing equally in countries of the First, Second and Third World and thus burden financial powers. People have to dedicate considerable financial resources to these problems and this is going to significantly affect consumption in the next year. Everywhere in the world even if there is a positive development of the global economy taking place. It’s not that consumption is going to collapse under these general burdens, but it is still going to change and we assume that it is going to change more and more sustained than many think during this time of a positive general mood.

Wants and needs are going to get even more distinct outlines than has been the case in the past. Everything that can’t be clearly assigned is going to continue to disappear.

Meaning, people are going to purchase more prudently. They are going to use their considerable knowledge during selection and purchase of products and services.

Surely, there are needs that can be met, in regards to quality, with simple and modest products and services, especially through automated facilities. Price can be adequately low there. The consumer has long gotten used to buying packaged products from a carton or simple shelves. When it comes to satisfying needs, the advantageous price is an important sales tool. This is why discounters are going to be of even more significance in the near future.

However, when this is about fulfilling wants, satisfying wishes, then people are always willing to spend more money. In economically tough times this may be even more so than in good times. But even for products and services which do not serve fulfillment of demand it is imperative that the relation of the value of the product to the price has to be evident. Far more critical than in the past, people are going to watch out for a comprehensible immaterial value of Premium and Luxury goods and services when fulfilling wants and satisfying wishes. Most of all this means brands dominating the premium and luxury business have to offer value.

It is going to be problematic for those suppliers of products and services which are still present in the traditional and disused “center” of the market and without adequate substance and yet are offered as premium and luxury goods and brands.

The consumer goods markets are going to shrink. But not the exterior outlines on the upper and lower edges of the individual markets or industries, but from the center.

If your planning includes growth for 2008 and the coming years you should rely less on the past but rather align your plans for growth with the possibilities, your products and services offer in regards to a clear profile.

Money available for consumption is becoming more valuable globally and the offer has to be designed correspondingly. If you are aware of this and look around accordingly, you are going to realize quickly that considerably more has to be done then just economizing and lowering costs. In order to keep the offer valuable and if necessary create a more valuable offer one has to be willing to invest into the market.