However, here is the 'paradox of progress' – that our expectations are greater than ever, that there is never enough time, and that the great majority of us are suffering from 'choice overload'. Life often feels too hectic, too pressured – too complicated.

Would we really want to turn back the clock to simpler times? Absolutely not – today’s consumers are richer, healthier, safer and have more freedom than any before them. But to reap the benefitsof progress, consumers need help to cope with the complexities they face. This is the key problem in the lives of the affluent majority, and a prime opportunity for business in the 21^st century.

In a book as useful to consumers as it is to business strategists, Willmott and Nelson present in-depth analysis of the complexities of modern consumers’ lives, and provide innovative and practical responses for business and marketing strategy.