This paper describes research that has been carried out by INCOMA Research for Unilever Home and Personal Care division to increase understanding of low income consumers in Central and Eastern Europe. Research focussed on how low income consumers choose to shop and how they prioritise their spending. A mixed methodology was used, including ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews.Qualitative findings were integrated with Gfk Consumer Panel data to provide robust insight into low income consumer spending and shopping patterns.
In the Czech Republic, internationalisation of retail structures has become the topic of the day. More and more multinationals are entering the Czech market. This paper provides an analysis of latest developments and an overview of the increasing market competition. Strong local chains have established a strategic alliance known as Czech Marketing Distribution in 1996 to face this heavy attack from abroad. Consumer research (conducted by INCOMA Praha) should help this alliance to better understand the shopping patterns of Czech consumers and to apply appropriate measures in their subsequent business strategy.
A lot has already been said here about changes. Changes in the economy, in aspirations and social values, changes in attitudes, changes in consumer behaviour, changes in producers behaviour. Retail and wholesale trade belonged to the areas where the radical developments of the early 90s changed the situation dramatically. The Czech Republic can be given as an example. In the past, the patterns of Czech retailing corresponded with the state of the whole economy - low amounts of selling space, inconvenient retail structures and the consumer in an inferior role. After the fall of the communist regime a principal economic transition started. Privatisation has entirely changed the ownership structure and both the retail and wholesale network have become enormously fragmented. Now a re- concentration process has been started. These developments go hand in hand with changes in the quality of retail supply and are supported by a large influx of international chains.