# What industries are "recession-proof"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 21, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025 "2001-09-21T15:26:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dasceder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@dasceder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasceder)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/1 "2001-09-21T15:26:40Z")
I turn on the TV and hear that every damn part of the economy is getting slapped around. What industries will sustain this downturn with the least (or minimal) damage? Tobacco, debt collection, plumbing and the medical industry are a few that I thought of, any others? ---
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/2 "2001-09-21T15:29:33Z")
How about agriculture? After all, people still have to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/3 "2001-09-21T15:37:02Z")
Soft drinks. Coca-Cola survived two World Wars, one Cold War, one Great Depression and whatsoever. I’ve heard bankers saying Coke is a surefire investment because even in the deepest crisis people will have a few cents left for a refreshment. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/4 "2001-09-21T15:40:56Z")
Undertaking ? Hairdressing ? ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/5 "2001-09-21T15:42:56Z")
I work in a mental ward, so I’m hoping… ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/6 "2001-09-21T15:46:54Z")
professional athletes won’t be hurting ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/7 "2001-09-21T16:00:32Z")
The canonical example is toilet paper. ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/8 "2001-09-21T16:01:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Schnitte \* > \*\*Soft drinks. > > Coca-Cola survived two World Wars, one Cold War, one Great Depression and whatsoever. I’ve heard bankers saying Coke is a surefire investment because even in the deepest crisis people will have a few cents left for a refreshment. \*\* a few cents? ---
**Author:** ![Threadkiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@Threadkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Threadkiller)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/9 "2001-09-21T16:05:30Z")
[This Article](http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/invest/sectors/3510.asp) Sez: > [@](#): > > These confectionery companies [Tootsie Roll Industries, Hershey Foods and Wm. Wrigley Jr.] sell simple, inexpensive consumer products (a pack of Wrigley gum is still 25 cents) whose demand is rarely affected by inflation or global recession. Or try a [gum trivia](http://vigilanteventures.com/trivia/gum_trivia.htm) site: > [@](#): > > When a recession and war hit in the early 1900s, most people stopped advertising, but William [Wrigley] said, “People chew harder when they’re sad”- a theory later substantiated when sales soared during the Depression and WWII. I have heard this a few times but this thread gave me a chance to “verify” it. ---
**Author:** ![Elvis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@Elvis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elvis)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/10 "2001-09-21T16:20:45Z")
I have been in the business of law since the first Bush recession, and I can tell you that litigators and bankruptcy lawyers actually do a little BETTER when other industries are struggling. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/11 "2001-09-21T16:52:12Z")
In the case of this particular crisis, I think you will find that telecommunications are severely undervalued. They’ve taken the same hit that all the tech-stocks have. My guess is _anything_ that will get businesspeople in face-to-face touch with clients without actually having to get on an airplane is going to benefit. That means Motorola and any other companies which are developing video-phone technology and attendant services are going to do very well. ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/12 "2001-09-21T17:14:41Z")
These industries are relatively stable throughout economic recession: Government Agencies Academia Pharmaceuticals Funerary Services Most forms of Insurance Automotive Repair Agriculture Utilities Alcohol/Tobacco et al. Pornographers Law Medicine Major Fast Food Chains Outlet or Second Hand chains Entertainment On the flip side, these industries are particularly susceptible: Venture Capitalists Investment Banking ---
**Author:** ![evilhanz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba8739/32.png) [@evilhanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhanz)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/13 "2001-09-21T17:16:04Z")
Hey, I sound like a Sally Struthers commercial! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dasceder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@dasceder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasceder)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/14 "2001-09-21T17:20:08Z")
evilhanz, Ha! ::cut to an I-banker wearing Gucci '99 and wing-tips in dire need of a shine. Holding sign “Will Broker for Lattee”:: ---
**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/15 "2001-09-21T17:23:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by evilhanz \* > \*\*Hey, I sound like a Sally Struthers commercial! 😃 \*\* Thanks for cheering me up, **evilhanz** By the way, I would point out that “law” can vary-- the attorneys who are involved in high-tech IPO’s are having problems. But I can confirm what **elvis** said about bankruptcy lawyers - they seem to be very busy. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/16 "2001-09-21T18:02:52Z")
On the subject of Coca-Cola don’t forget that every Coke you buy helps line the pocket of bin Laden. He is part owner of a company that is the sole world supplier of Gum Arabic. This is used in most if not all soft drinks. He has made millions from this project ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/17 "2001-09-21T18:59:34Z")
koufax: Well, you’re right, it’s more than a few cents. Yet Coke isn’t too expensive, and I think most people will be able to afford one even if nearly bankrupt. And thirsty they will be anyway. David Cronan: I’m instinctively a bit sceptical about things like this, and I checked Snopes about bin Laden and the gum arabic connection. It cites the following declaration from he soft drink tycoons: \*In a September 15, 1998 Baltimore Sun article, a U.S. State Department official said bin Laden divested himself of all (Sudanese) holdings when he was expelled from Sudan in 1996. In that same report, the Sun, quoting another State Department official said, “Bin Laden and his cronies tried to take over all the gum arabic crop in the early 1990’s, ‘but failed in their attempt.’” \* ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/18 "2001-09-21T19:23:58Z")
I would imagine that the gambling “industry” is not feeling very well right now, what with Las Vegas sitting in the middle of a desert and people not too anxious to get on a plane. ---
**Author:** ![red\_dragon60](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@red\_dragon60](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/red_dragon60)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/19 "2001-09-21T20:23:27Z")
I was thinking donuts. That’s why Krispy Kreme stocks seem so nice. And you can get your dividends in glazed donuts. Mmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025/20 "2001-09-21T21:03:00Z")
In good times or bad, there’s always a ready market for high quality [hand knitted Afghans.](http://www.vintagemartini.com/ephemera/crochethome/pages/178.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-industries-are-recession-proof/83025.md?page=2)