Abstract:

Crisis is a word increasingly repeated in every day discourse. This results in a growing number of people experiencing situations previously reserved for the low segment: a sense of uncertainty, of having limited influence on one's own fortunes, and a lack of control over one's financial condition. This is causing consumer strategies identified in the low segment to also be reflected more and more broadly in higher consumer segments. Besides can one still talk today about distinct and clearly-separated consumer segments, such as 'low' or 'premium'.