The establishment of the GfK Verein marks the birth of market research in Germany.
The crises of the twenties proved that goods could not simply be produced in the expectation that demand would necessarily follow. Massproduction and the emergence of trade had alienated producer from consumer. High-quality and neutral information about consumers and markets became necessary.
Two individuals in particular, took it upon themselves to fill this information gap:
Prof. Wilhelm Vershofen and Consul Wilhelm R. Mann.
With its 56.46 percent stake, the GfK Verein is GfK SE’s majority shareholder. As a responsible majority shareholder, the GfK Verein is committed to enhancing the value of the company in a sustainable fashion. The roles of these two organizations are, however, separate. As a non-profit organization, the GfK Verein is committed to fostering market research, while GfK SE focuses on the collection of market, brand and product-specific insights. The two institutions supplement one another: The GfK Verein benefits from its cooperation with GfK SE in the form of practical knowledge, such as current market developments and needs. GfK SE uses the GfK Verein’s research findings as background knowledge when it advises clients or develops new instruments and solutions.
