Consumer & Market Trends

Online spending will hit 42bn this year, but brands would be wise to use impartial channels in their marketing mix because traditional methods are not getting through to empowered consumers

Healthy foods are high on consumers’ agenda, but brands could do much more to inform the public about the nutritional content of their shopping baskets and keep their messages consistent

Bebo is one of the most popular global social networking websites with a large number of UK users, but it has come under fire more than once for its advertising policies. By John Reynolds

It started as one shop, set up with a 17,000 bank loan, and transformed the sandwich market. Now it’s being wooed by private equity. Louise Jack looks at what lies ahead for Pret A Manger

Panorama exposed some major holes in selling online advertising. Brands and agencies should regard this as a wake-up call in best practice, says Guy Phillipson

‘Impersonal’ and ‘inflexible’ technology is triumphing over marketing common sense because few brands are using consumer data and the latest tools to enhance the whole customer experience

Sony Ericsson has built its success on margins, but several challenges lie ahead before it can become a top-three player in one of the world’s most ruthless sectors. Robert Lester reports

Credit cards are a convenient way to pay for items and many consumers regard them as safer than cash, but there are major regional discrepancies in card ownership and management of the debt

Swedish icon Ikea stands accused of losing its way in terms of advertising and its sense of identity. Rupi Gohlar asks whether it can cut costs, reinvigorate itself and regain its reputation for tenacity?

A credit and debit card confidentiality crisis earlier this year hasn’t stripped TK Maxx of its credentials as a cornerstone of the UK high street, despite arriving here just 13 years ago, says Matthew Gorman

Can Rolls-Royce – a brand synonymous with quality and Britain – put its troubles behind it following a German takeover and rediscover the glories of a golden age? asks Louise Jack

The ban on smoking in public places in England is a watershed in British social policy that will see public health rise to the top of the political agenda and mark a change in the way the UK socialises

Pretty Polly has suffered from a shrinking market, stiff competition and an image that’s not as sexy as it used to be. Louise Jack asks how the hosiery firm plans to turn its fortunes around

The internet is crucial to today’s youth, yet online banner ads are not getting through to them. Peer influence is what counts and treating them as individuals could help to get your message across