The demographic developments in Germany and their effects on consumer behaviour

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, grade: 2,0, AKAD University of Applied Sciences Leipzig, course: Market Research, language: English, abstract: Our society is in the change. A decline in the birthrate, ageing and a shrinking population have moved during the last years rightly in the centre of the public discussion and shift the demographic frame in a not known way up to now. The demographic change is a sign of this time and will exercise a big influence on the social development. Demographic developments can lead to the fact, that market relations as well as the size and the growth of markets change substantially by what new markets and new sales opportunities can originate from (cf. Kuß/ Tomczak, 2004, p.76f). Because the demographically conditioned changes of the markets slowly take place, it is already today important for enterprises to explore the needs and preferences of the older customer group. Previous to the background of the demographic change, the good and service offer just as internal processes of development and not least the communication with the customer must be considered. This is the only way enterprises can early position themselves to work on this already growing and in future gigantic market (cf. Heitzer-Priem/ Hertling/ Ratazzi-Förster, 2011, p.13). Market research can help the decision maker to recognize trend statements (forecasts), timely market changes and consumer trends and to act accordingly (cf. Steinmetz/ Weis, 2008, p.18). Especially marketing research at the macroscopic level provides the informational base for marketing strategies and for the strategically early detection (cf. Baumgarth, Benecker, 1999, p.5). In this work, especially the area 'socio-cultural environment' (e.g. value change, demographic population development as for example the ageing of the society or the increase of the single households in Germany) should be examined. The demographic developments and their influence on the consumer behavior is the topic of this work. In addition, the first part of this Assignment deals with the topical and future demographic developments in Germany. Subsequent to that, their effects on the consumer's behavior should be shown closer. Since more exact forecasts cannot be made with regard to the migration and immigration because of the strong variations at the moment, this work limits itself primarily to the present and future consumer behavior of the 'about 50 year-old' group. The aim of this work should be, to give an overview about the demographic development in Germany and some concrete effects on the consumer behavior by means of forecasts.