According to popular Marketing Theory, the Needs & Wants of Consumers are defined and driven by ‘Lifestyles’. The SEC of Households is commonly used as a Lifestyle Segmentation Procedure. Five(5) different SEC groups to which Households belong ( viz. SEC A, SEC B, SEC C, SEC D & SEC E) are perceived as representing five mutually exclusive and exhaustive ‘Levels of Lifestyle’.

The Socio Economic Classification (SEC) of Households is defined by twin variables (The Occupation of the Main Earner & the Highest Examination passed by the Main Earner) as follows;