|
The latest data from ONS shows that the UK economy continues to contract, but leading analysts are confident that growth will soon return – France, Germany and the USA have already emerged from recession and the UK will hopefully follow suit.
This is positive, but it is certain that the consequences of such a long and deep downturn will continue to play out for many years to come, in terms of weak demand, high taxes, uncertainty and political pressure for more sustainable business models.
The need for grocery professionals to develop a sound understanding of business environments has never been stronger. For those lacking the time or expertise to investigate and interpret these happenings or for those seeking an external perspective, IGD’s new Quarterly Economic Update is an essential purchase, written by IGD's Chief Economist James Walton.
The fourth edition has been fully revised to reflect the latest economic and political changes; the structure and style of the document have also been altered in order to meet the needs of readers more closely.
This edition is presented in an improved concise format and, rather than arranging content under technical headings (eg: GDP growth, inflation, unemployment), content is now organised into the following sections:
- Strategic outlook
- Consumer demand
- Retailer responses
- Price changes
|
- Currency and trade
- Investor position
- Resource availability
|
Analysis has also been improved in order to explain the implications of economic change for grocery businesses and to make the document easier to navigate. Sub-sections are now further divided as follows:
- Latest changes
- What to expect next
- What this means for grocery
|
- What to do now
- Detailed analysis
|
All the charts and data used in previous editions are still available and have been updated – these may be downloaded as a Powerpoint file for use in other presentations (please remember to credit IGD for any proprietary research).
|
An IGD 
