Help...is it "Consumer's Needs" or "Consumers' needs" ? or "Consumers Needs"?

Question

I am doing a presentation for a packaged goods company...is it "Consumer's Changing Needs" or "Consumers' Changing Needs" or "Consumers Changing Needs" ? Context: It is for a slide headline that is referring to "consumers" and category information.

Need answer asap if possible...thank you!!!

This is not so much a duplicate as lacking signs of research. — Edwin Ashworth, Jun 03 '15 at 21:55

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 03 '15 at 18:58

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It should be "Consumers' Changing Needs".

answered Jun 03 '15 at 18:58

RK01

545

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As it happens, every single one of the 24 written instances of *the consumers' changing needs* has the possessive after the plural. But I think the fact of that definite article being there strongly argues in favour of singular *the consumer*... – FumbleFingers Jun 03 '15 at 19:42
...there are after all a claimed 6620 written instances of the changing needs of the consumer**, but less than a quarter of that number for plural the changing needs of the consumers**. So it depends on context and the writer's intention as much as anything - there's not really any concept of "it should be..." – FumbleFingers Jun 03 '15 at 19:45
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@FF Quite right. And anyway, it should be 'The changing needs of the consumer'. – Edwin Ashworth Jun 03 '15 at 21:58

Help...is it "Consumer's Needs" or "Consumers' needs" ? or "Consumers Needs"?

1 Answers1