Transforming Markets, Increasing Access : Early Lessons on Base-of-the-Pyramid Market Development in Sanitation

The four billion global consumers at the base of the pyramid (BOP) - those earning less than two dollars a day - are increasingly recognized by the private sector as a major untapped market segment. The sanitation industry is no exception. Across s...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pedi, Danielle, Davies, Will
Language:English
en_US
Published: International Finance Corporation, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/10/18875783/transforming-markets-increasing-access-early-lessons-base-of-the-pyramid-market-development-sanitation
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18691
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Summary:The four billion global consumers at the base of the pyramid (BOP) - those earning less than two dollars a day - are increasingly recognized by the private sector as a major untapped market segment. The sanitation industry is no exception. Across sub-Saharan Africa, more than half of the population lives without access to minimum levels of improved sanitation. Beyond the reach of urban sewerage networks, most BOP families require self-funded, household-level sanitation solutions. While the needs of this vast market are often pigeonholed as a development issue to be dealt with by the public sector and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), it represents a sizable market opportunity for the private sector. This brief captures early experiences from the 'Selling Sanitation' initiative, a partnership between IFC and the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program (WSP). Using a market transformation approach, Selling Sanitation is demonstrating strong potential to unlock new market opportunities and dramatically increase access to sanitation for low-income consumers.