latent demandnoun [ C or U ]
ukusECONOMICS, MARKETING demand for a product or service that a consumer cannot satisfy because they do not have enough money, because the product or service is not available, or because they do not know that it is available:
New facilities were built just because the funds were there, rather than to fulfil any latent demand.
A latent demand for smartphones saw sales climb as the recession eased.