Posits the question: are marketing executives too ready to accept consumer panel data without thinking to question their validity or usefulness? Asks also whether consumer panels are to play an increasingly important role in the future? States that as industry becomes more cost-benefit conscious, so marketing activities will undoubtedly come under close scrutiny. Maintains that changing information needs will dictate some reorientation of the traditional marketing research functions. Discusses also the problems with regard to operating panels, these are argued and the significant difficulties isolated. Concludes that it seems likely that in the case of panels for recording household goods purchases the move will be towards more involvement of research staff in the information recording processes.