But as demand for alternative options has increased, some prices have come down.
That could trigger a cash crunch and a spike in demand for alternative collateral.
Rapidly falling oil prices in the wake of the Wall Street crash have further damaged demand for alternative fuels.
When cane production drops, prices for sugar rise; this, in turn, increases the demand for alternative sweeteners, such as jaggery.
THE authors of the Energy Policy Act hoped that fleets would get the ball rolling, and that high gasoline prices would lead to demand for alternative fuels.
There is always a demand for alternative forms of housing in Smithtown, where only half of the 37,000 households have school-age children, he said.
Whatever the truth, the development nevertheless indicates increased demand for alternative routes to Europe now that it has become harder to leave Turkey for Greece.
Even beauty salons have tapped into the growing consumer demand for alternative health services, also offering Reiki (a Japanese healing technique), aromatherapy, reflexology and meditation.
But today, with the growing demand for alternative therapies, there has been an increase in the practice of using ear seeds (or their metallurgic equivalents, acubeads and ear magnets) for health issues from anxiety to pain to insomnia.
A few years ago, those avoiding cow's milk because of lactose intolerance or for ethical reasons were drinking soya, but health scares have seen a rising demand for alternative plant "milks", including rice, hemp and – most popular – almond.
Since camping season kicked off in March, the pods have proved massively popular and they're already taking bookings for Christmas and new year - a testament to their quirky, cosy appeal and the demand for alternative, affordable accommodation.
