Shoppers 'offer great business opportunities' for companies

Consumption | Michael Barris

The "uneven" growth of China's consumer class and those in other developing markets presents "tremendous potential for companies" if they choose to play in fast-growing categories, according to a report by consulting firm McKinsey & Co.

The report said that by 2025, when the number of consumers worldwide has reached 4.2 billion, those with discretionary income will, for the first time,outnumber those struggling to meet basic needs. That development presents "what may well be the biggest opportunity in the history of capitalism," according to the report.