ABSTRACT
The introduction of the Single Market in January 1993 has intensified competition and the consumer should benefit from greater availability of goods and services from other countries. This major economic development in Europe has also coincided with a period of recession which has lasted longer than was first predicted and has had a detrimental effect on volumes of consumption. Thanks to the development of communications and transports, European consumers are beginning to form a more homogeneous market. Some sectors remain affected by national characteristics, as is the case with the food and drink industry, where national taste and habit still weigh heavily on consumer behaviour. However, some products are already targeted at the ‘Euroconsumer’ and many firms believe that there is little need to differentiate across national boundaries.
