QRCA Views Magazine, Spring 2016

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20 QRCA VIEWS SPRING 2016
Some History
A free market economy in Eastern
Europe started in 1989-1990 with the first
(partially) democratic elections in
Poland, and with the downfall of the
Berlin Wall. For the citizens of Eastern
European countries, these events brought
freedom of speech, economic activity, and
democracy. After many decades of a
planned “socialist” economy, whose only
true achievement was the constant lack of
almost everything, Eastern Europeans
were happy to buy anything, just because
it was there to buy. After a few years
characterized by open-air bazaars, new
supermarkets and shopping malls began
to open their doors to the public, and
shopping became the favorite pastime for
families. In order to afford more expen-
sive products like TV sets or cars, people
started to take out loans. A completely
serious reason for purchase was “because
this was advertised.”
Now, more than 25 years later, all
Eastern European markets are much
more mature. In most product categories
there are a few market leaders who domi-
nate the landscape and safeguard their
market share. Consumers now consider
their choices more carefully and have
even become picky. Their lifestyles are
more similar to those in the West, but
there are a few important differences.
Some Numbers
The first and most important factor
shaping consumer behavior is purchasing
power, which has developed rapidly in the
East Europe region over the past two-and-
a-half decades. These changes are hard to
comprehend by Eastern Europeans them-
selves. In Poland, at the end of the 1980s,
By Agnieszka Górnicka
n CEO
n Inquiry sp z o. o.
n Warszawa, Poland
n
If your research projects or travels take you to Prague, Moscow, or
Warsaw these days, you may be stunned by the rapid development
of these cities. You will even see the same chain stores as in London
or Paris. Do not, however, allow this apparent similarity to Western
Europe mislead you. Consumer behavior in Eastern European countries
is governed by different rules. This article explains how these markets
developed, what they have in common, and what makes them very dif-
ferent from each other, both economically and culturally.
n GLOBAL n
After 25 Years, Different
Ways to Enjoy Freedom
Beginning of the 1980s: At the Butcher’s
Consumers in
Eastern Europe: