1(a). Between 1990 and 1997/8 the % of income spent on leisure goods has remained broadly unchanged at 5%, but the % of income spent on leisure services has risen from about 9% to 12%.

1(b). In the case of leisure goods spending as a % of total spending varies from about 5.5% in the highest group (8th decile) to about 3.5% in the lowest group (2nd decile). In general, higher income groups spend a slightly higher % of income on leisure goods than do lower income groups. There is a marked difference, however, in the case of leisure services, which account for about 8% of spending in the lowest income decile but nearly 15% in the highest income decile. There is a clear pattern here – as income increases, there is an increase in both the amount spent on leisure services, and in the proportion of income spent.

2(a). Income elasticity of demand is calculated by dividing the % change in quantity demanded by the % change in consumers’ incomes. If the resulting coefficient is greater than 1 (and positive) demand is said to be income elastic; if less than 1 (and positive) demand is income inelastic. Looking at the data for leisure goods, and at the income levels for the lowest and highest income deciles, the lowest income group (with incomes below £88) spends £4.40 a week on average, while the highest income group (with incomes above £849) spends £38.20 a week on average. Hence those with incomes nearly ten times higher spend about nine times as much each week on leisure goods. This suggests that the income elasticity of demand is slightly less than 1. In the case of leisure services, the amount spent on average each week rises from £7.90 to £107.20. So for an increase in income of nearly X10 the spending on leisure services rises by about X13. Hence the income elasticity of demand for services is greater than 1. I conclude therefore that the income elasticity of demand for services as a whole is higher than the income elasticity of demand for goods as a whole.

2(b). Looking at individual leisure goods and services, those with the highest income elasticity are goods/services where the % increase in spending each week is at its greatest when comparing the lowest and highest income deciles – i.e. wherever the % increase in spending is markedly greater than the % income increase. Goods falling into this category are: books, maps and diaries; sports and camping equipment; photography and camcorders (and to a lesser extent TVs, videos, computer and audio equipment). Services falling into this category are: education and training; and hotels and holidays abroad (and, to a lesser extent, sports admissions and subscriptions, miscellaneous entertainments, and cash gifts/donations).

3 (a/b). From the chart it can be seen that books (with maps and diaries) have a higher income elasticity than newspapers. Assuming incomes continue to grow over time, books would seem to have a more promising sales future than newspapers – more is spent on them each week, while they have a higher income elasticity. Moreover, over time, newspapers may become less and less important, since consumers have access to an increasing variety of alternative sources of information and entertainment – as seen, for example, in the sums spent on (and higher income elasticities of) magazines, TVs, computers, etc. So in the long run, book sales are likely to increase (though not at a rapid rate – and much depends here on the TYPE of book publisher being acquired) while newspaper sales seem set to decline still further (except perhaps in the case of some of the broadsheet papers). So this acquisition strategy is an exercise in risk diversification, though it should be pointed out that other areas of communication or entertainment might be more profitable targets, given their higher income elasticities.