The two categories of retailer who have weathered the global economic instability best in recent years are those at the top end of the price spectrum and those at the bottom. Some of this is a result of widening wealth inequality, but a glance at the demography of shoppers shows that it is not quite that simple; for instance, the bargain department store TK Maxx has a customer base that perfectly matches the UK population.fn4 In fact, we derive pleasure from ‘expensive treats’ and also enjoy finding ‘bargains’. By contrast, the mid-range retailer offers far less of an emotional hit; you don’t
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