Hamburg inhabitants love CDs and shoes, while Bavarians are passionate about home improvement products

GfK GeoMarketing releases "GfK Purchasing Power for Retail Product Lines 2009," a study that reveals the current consumer potential for around 60 product lines. The data covers all of Germany's administrative levels, from federal states to postcodes.

GfK GeoMarketing has calculated Germans' purchasing power by region, categorizing the results according to around 60 food- and non-food product lines. GfK Purchasing Power for Retail Product Lines shows the consumer potential for stationary and mail-order retail. German consumers have a per capita retail purchasing power of around €5,201 in 2009. This spending potential has been analyzed for 17 main product groups in the current study.

"High earners don't necessarily spend more money on retail purchases than those with less purchasing power," explains Simone Baecker-Neuchl, head of Market Data & Research at GfK GeoMarketing. "An above-average income sometimes entails large expenditures on rent, real estate and luxury goods. The breakdown of purchasing power by product line is therefore an invaluable benchmark and planning instrument."

Hamburg inhabitants' product preferences under the microscope
The purchasing power study highlights stark regional differences regarding product preferences. For example, the average Hamburg inhabitant spends almost twice as much (€42) on audio and video devices such as CDs and DVDs as the average citizen of Brandenburg, Germany. Hamburg residents are also fond of footwear, spending almost 20 percent more on shoes and leather products than their Berlin counterparts. However, they are less enthusiastic shoppers when it comes to home improvement products, on which they spend 12 percent less than the average German. The opposite is true of Bavarians: Their passion for home improvement and gardening translates to a purchasing power for home improvement products that is 10 percent above the national average. Berlin lies at the other extreme: Purchasing power for this same product line in Germany's capital lies 17 percent below the national average.

Significant differences also exist within smaller geographic regions. For example, inhabitants of Harburg rural district spend almost a fifth more on newspapers and magazines than the nearby residents of Hamburg.

About the study
The "GfK Purchasing Power for Retail Product Lines 2009" study is based on various surveys and analyses of consumer shopping behavior. GfK GeoMarketing combines this consumer information with socio-demographic household data to create regionalized profiles using its microgeographic databank, GfK POINTplus.

This makes it possible to transfer information on consumer behavior to the regional level. The data covers all of Germany's administrative and postcode regions, from federal states, districts and municipalities to five-digit postcodes and even street segments. 

Additional information on the study can be found at
www.gfk-geomarketing.com/retail-lines.

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Print-quality illustrations can be found at www.gfk-geomarketing.com/press/retail-lines
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About GfK GeoMarketing

GfK GeoMarketing is one of the largest providers of geomarketing services in Europe for customers and users from all branches of trade. Key business areas include:

• Consultancy
• Market data
• Digital maps
• Geomarketing software RegioGraph

GfK GeoMarketing is a subsidiary of the globally active GfK Group. Ranked fourth among the world's market research institutes, the GfK is represented in 100 countries with over 150 subsidiaries and 10,000 employees.

The GfK GeoMarketing press newsletter is published by:

GfK GeoMarketing GmbH,
Germany
www.gfk-geomarketing.com

Press Information:
Cornelia Lichtner
Public Relations
Tel. +49 (0)7251 9295 270
Fax +49 (0)7251 9295 290
c.lichtner@gfk-geomarketing.com

Management Board: Olaf Petersen, Wolfram Scholz, Dr. Eberhard Stegner
Amtsgericht Mannheim, HRB 250872

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