There is much evidence that traditional class divisions in Britain have changed over the last century and into 2000 the Labour landslide victory in the 1997 General Election, which was won partly because of the widening of the party's appeal to encompass more middle-class voters, has led to a renewed interest in what has happened to the traditional working classes. There has certainly been a trend towards `upward social mobility' in terms of home ownership and educational achievement for many in social classes C2, D and E, while at the same time there has been a shift towards what has been termed `downward cultural mobility' in the media and in leisure pursuits. This has led to a blurring of class boundaries in recent years, making consumers less easily `pigeonholed' for marketing purposes.
The changing nature of employment in the UK, with a greater emphasis on white-collar jobs in service industries, is one of the factors which have led to an increase in the number of people in the higher socio-economic groupings over the past decade. In particular, there has been a shift within the two `middle' groups, with more people falling into the C1 (clerical and junior managerial) group, and correspondingly fewer in the C2 (skilled manual) category.
Clothes
The many changes which are currently taking place in the world of fashion retailing include the decline of the middle market, with High Street retailers losing out both to more upmarket designer outlets, and to discount warehouses. There has also been something of a crisis in men's fashion, with a trend towards stand-alone High Street outlets being replaced by smaller trading units situated within womenswear outlets. Part of the rationale for this lies in the assumption that women have a strong influence on male fashion decisions. However, Market Assessment's research suggests that C2DE men, at least, have a fairly strong interest in designer clothing. (See also Market Assessment's latest report on Clothing Retailing.)
Another trend has been for High Street fashion outlets to turn increasingly to offering designer labels in order to liven up their ranges. Designer brands at discount prices are also increasingly available in supermarkets, as well as in factory outlet villages and discount fashion retailers. The latter - especially in the form of retail clubs in which shoppers receive large discounts on branded and own-brand items in return for a nominal membership fee - have enjoyed a rapid rise in popularity, with a number of chains expanding quickly. Market Assessment's research suggests their appeal is likely to be particularly high among male C2DEs, and those with children.
Shopping FOR Food
Major food retailers have been concentrating hard on price-cutting activity in recent years, and especially in the wake of Wal-Mart's purchase of Asda. It is likely that the emphasis will switch more and more towards lower prices, and away from customer service, in the near future.
These strategies on the part of the major retailers may well have a detrimental effect on the `hard discounters' such as Aldi and Netto, which entered the UK market a decade ago, but have managed to acquire only a niche presence, with a mainly C2DE customer base.
Market Assessment's research suggests that, although C2DEs are more likely than ABC1s to look for low prices when shopping for food - for example, by opting for standard rather than luxury ranges of supermarket ready meals - the extent to which this is important does depend to a fairly large extent on household circumstances. Single and childless C2DEs differ less from ABC1s in their willingness to buy luxury ranges than those who are married, and those with children.
Spending ON TheHome
The growth in home ownership over the past few decades has affected the C2DE groups in particular, with a consequent effect on their willingness to spend money on improving their homes. Among Market Assessment's sample, nearly seven in ten C2DEs are homeowners, with one in five in local authority accommodation.
The DIY retail market in the UK is highly competitive, and, like the food sector, has been influenced by the `Wal-Mart effect', with a number of major retailers recently introducing low-price own-brand product ranges, and making price cuts. In the longer term, the globalisation of retail markets may lead to the entry into the UK of home discount stores.
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