UK advertising expenditure has increased from , C4.8 billion to £7.2 billion; a massive increase of 50% and well ahead of RPI. The combination of a buoyant economy and expanding non-government business categories has been very good news for the advertising industry. The possible emergence of an advertising recession in 1998 and 1999 failed to THE DEMOGRAPHIC BACKGROUND 89 occur, due to the wastefully poor marketing activity of the dot.com start ups. It is m y view that the lack of professionalism shown by the dot.com companies was only exceeded.
Growth - there are 5.3 million more adults than thirty years ago. More professionals - whilst thirty years ago, one-third were in profes- sional occupations, today, two-thirds are in professional occupations. Better training - thirty years ago, 12% went to university, today 25% go to university, and the Labour government in 2001, predicted that by 2005 50% will go to university. However, since 13% of the population is illiterate, we are clearly going to have some highly untrained shop assistants. End of the traditional family unit - two-thirds of the population have no children living at home. Twenty-two per cent of housing stock is taken up by single adults. More home owners - major increase in home ownership. More part- time working (especially amongst women). More affluence - seventy-six per cent of adults have access to a car, while over one-third of adults have two or more cars. Fragmented buying - changes in media consumption patterns, as we all become more "individual".