Bar code scanning data pertaining to the urban carbohydrate market were analysed. Emphasis was placed on the strategic importance of the data to the marketing of maize meal products. Elasticities indicate that maize meal and potatoes tend to be relatively price inelastic, whilst bread and rice are more price elastic. Important results emanating from the analyses are that the relative price and the convenience of a product play an important role in the purchasing of a product in the carbohydrate market. Characteristics of the consumers of maize meal were determined for both Black and White consumers, thereby enabling a more informed targeting of advertising campaigns. Other strategic information extracted from the data indicates the practical nature and usefulness of such data.
