Business at the base of the economic pyramid

IFC and WRI has launched a new report today which for the first time provides aggregated and cross-country data on what poor people buy. The new report has data by region, country, sector, and the rural-urban split. The 4 billion people at the base of the pyramid -- incomes under $3000 per annum -- represent a $5 trillion market. The report also analyzes business strategies firms are using to serve these markets: including responding to BOP markets with unique products, packaging, technologies, and partnering. Better data should encourage more firms to operate in these markets. This report builds on earlier work by C.K. Prahalad and others.