China is experiencing an increasing emphasis on self-expression. For consumer companies, one consequence is that the importance of emotional considerations in purchase decisions is rising.

Hypermarkets have been hugely popular in China; from next to nothing in 1997, there are now 2,400 of them. But the low-hanging fruit has been picked. Not only is the competition tightening, but retail dynamics are changing.

Internet-enabled television could be third in the “smart” procession, following smartphones and tablets. But can current technology deliver? And are customers even interested?

German brand-based companies are doing better than ever—and this study shows what needs to be done to ensure that things remain this way.

The Internet, not yet 20 years on from its emergence into the consumer mainstream, is evolving as fast as ever. McKinsey's survey of 18,000 Americans has identified six key trends that will define the near future.

Social media is exploding worldwide, and China is leading the way. A new McKinsey survey of 5,700 Internet users in China—the first of its kind—explores the behavior of Chinese consumers on social networks.

Mexico consumers are conflicted. On the one hand, only 16 percent of those surveyed by McKinsey believed that they were doing better economically; on the other, 48 percent are optimistic about the future.

In McKinsey's latest survey, we find that US consumers are mildly more optimistic—and that their shopping behavior has changed fundamentally.

Businesses looking to engage Brazil’s digital enthusiasts face a big problem: 65 percent of them are dissatisfied with their online purchase experience. Here is what companies need to do.

Perhaps surprisingly, the evidence shows that US retail banks are, by and large, satisfying their customers. That’s not enough.

New research from McKinsey finds that US consumer satisfaction has improved across the board since 2009. That should not necessarily be cause for self-congratulation, though: A large measure of the improvement is due to broader macro-economic factors.

The China business and finance editor for the Economist has written a book about innovation, Need, Speed, and Greed. Vaitheeswaran answers five questions on consumer innovation.

The strains of the current retail bank model are showing themselves, in the form of rising costs and falling loyalty. McKinsey asked 20,000 consumers in 13 countries about what they wanted. Here is what we found.

Who are Brazil's online shoppers? And how do they use the Internet? McKinsey asked thousands of Brazilians those questions. Here are the answers.

Consumer companies know China is important. To succeed there, though, they need to understand the economic and social changes that are redefining the way that Chinese consumers spend.

Retailers need to focus on the right mobile tactics to reach the anywhere-anytime mobile consumer and to combat "showrooming."

Consumers are buying electronic devices by the boatload—but retailers are not smiling.

More than a billion people in emerging and developing markets have cell phones but no bank accounts. Mobile money is beginning to fill this gap. Here is what you need to know about this complex but promising market.

Spain’s ongoing economic problems have eaten into the grocery sector’s results. Here is what players in the market need to know about the country’s consumers to set themselves up well for renewed growth.

Here is how to form a deeper relationship with your customers by creating an engagement ecosystem that reaches beyond your marketing team.

Europe looks like a big and resilient luxury market. But look closer: Most of the growth is coming from Chinese, Japanese and Russia tourists. What are European consumers thinking? And how should the market adapt to these trends?

Together, these 30 aspiring countries represent 30 percent of global GDP—and the potential for the Internet to transform these economies is significant.

McKinsey takes a keen interest in the luxury market. Here is a sampling of some our most recent in-depth research on the subject.

McKinsey estimates that about 3 million Brazilians can afford luxury goods. Here is how to reach this ambitious and surprisingly youthful market.

Europe is in crisis; the US is in the doldrums; China is worried about a property bubble; India has hit a rough patch. But Brazil is thriving. In the first of two articles on Latin America's largest economy, we look at what makes the middle class tick.

Consumer goods companies desperately want to reach China’s millions of emerging customers. To do so, they will need multiple strategies.

Over the next 10 years, consumer spending in emerging markets is expected to grow three times faster than in developed nations, reaching a total of $6 trillion by 2020. Consumer-goods companies must understand and address these changing patterns of —by both geography and category This report suggests how.

The traditional mom-and-pop grocery store is being displaced by modern trade. What’s driving this change—and what’s next?

Asian banking consumers are changing the way they do their business. Here's how banks can adapt.

Brazil pharmacy retailers have every reason to be optimistic, with strong growth and a surging economy. But there will also be a shakeout. The winners will be those who adapt to three key trends.

American consumers have been using coupons with new enthusiasm. But is this a good thing for companies?

 Prosperous and tech-savvy, Poland’s online shoppers are promising territory for retailers.

Companies invest enormous money and effort to create new products and services. Too often, though, they have a serious flaw: Consumers don't want them.

What makes Chinese consumers tick? What are they worrying about? How will burgeoning inflation shape their behavior? See the answers to these questions and more in McKinsey's most recent in-depth survey of Chinese shoppers.

In the fifth of five articles derived from the iConsumer survey, McKinsey analyzes trends in the use of mobile phones.

In the first of five articles drawn from exclusive research, McKinsey details how consumers spend their tech time.

Changing consumer preferences and the need for speed are complicating the apparel business along the entire value chain.  Here's how to deal with the most important challenges.

Spurred by the spread of the Internet, mobile technology and social networks, global digital tribes are forming. Marketers who ignore the phenomenon will lose out.

China's rising middle class loves to shop. But it is also going in for less conspicuous consumption, in the form of financial products.

This year's Luxury Consumer Survey addresses three key questions: Can South Korea keep it up? What’s changing? And what do these trends mean for the players in the luxury industry?

McKinsey's most recent Personal Financial Services Survey of almost 20,000 people found that across Asia, consumers are looking for a new relationship with their banks.

Consumers say they want both electronic and physical contact points, but the desired mix varies by country and age.

Hammered by recession and still uncertain about the economy, consumers are getting pickier. Just look at auto insurance.

McKinsey’s deep and comprehensive survey considers how consumer behavior is changing in a dozen countries and across digital experiences.

How can companies use pricing to increase profits? And what will consumers tolerate?

Chinese consumers want to spend—and they want to save. Here's what business needs to know about how they manage their wallets.

How to reach customers at every stage of the consumer decision journey.

Only a small minority of South Africans (10%) have access to the Internet—and broadband is slower than, yes, the average pigeon.

Although they were rocked by the Tohoku earthquake, Japan's luxury consumers are back shopping—but with caution.

Is the worst over for the American economy? That is what consumers seem to be saying with their wallets—but their optimism is cautious.

Tablets are wildly popular. But how do people actually use them? And what does the rise of the tablet mean for other industries?

The hyper-fast growth of the past decade is slowing, but Africa remains a continent of opportunity for the telecommunications market.

America's Hispanics control more disposable income than any other minority group. What should brands do to reach them?

The global middle class is up for grabs—and the multinationals that can shift their organizational focus to scale up speedily will have the advantage.

How are consumers in Japan acting after the tragedies of March 11? Discuss that question with McKinsey experts, and others, in this online forum.

Big box stores and malls in China’s top cities are growing fast—14 percent a year. But here’s the surprise: Traditional retail in lower-tier markets is often much more profitable.

McKinsey's in-depth annual report on the Chinese luxury market reveals two major trends: There are more luxury consumers, and they are more sophisticated.

The whimsical game has found tens of millions of players. Here’s how online buzz helped to create a phenomenon.

The Russian economy turned the corner in 2010. Will consumers get back to spending on themselves?

Should consumer-goods companies be going into Brazil? Or expanding there? Or waiting-and-seeing?

The economic news has been guardedly optimistic. But how are U.S. consumers behaving?

China consumers are changing the way they shop. here are four ways that smart retailers can capitalize.

British consumers are inundated with information about how to go green and save energy. But what do they really think?

Nations around the world are getting older—and Japan is ahead of the pack. So it is a test case to understand how to attract this rapidly-growing consumer segment.

Customer excitement translates into more buzz, more sales, and premium prices. Here’s how companies can capture the added value created by the “wow” effect.

Rural China is home to 750 million consumers, and a fast-growing market of $426 billion. Here's how to reach them.

Five trends will characterize German consumer behavior in the coming years. Here is how to use this knowledge to find a competitive edge.

Direct sales of cosmetics are thriving in the world's most beauty-conscious country. Here's what you need to know.

They spend more in categories they highly value, and they generally trade down in less compelling ones.