noun
consumer; demander
Economic term for a person or entity that demands goods or services; often contrasted with 供給者 (supplier).
需要者のニーズに応える製品を開発する。
Develop products that meet the needs of consumers.
市場では需要者と供給者のバランスが重要だ。
In the market, the balance between demanders and suppliers is important.
供給者 means 'supplier' and is the direct counterpart to 需要者 in supply-demand frameworks.
Compound of 需要 (demand) and 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a standard pattern for forming agent nouns in modern Japanese.