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More potentially downturn-free retailers
Archived article dated Thursday June 19th 2008
Last week we took a look at some interesting research that highlighted a bunch of consumers who appeared to be more immune from the current downturn than the rest of the population.
By Glynn Davis
Market analysts CACI found that a chunky 5.1 million people fitted into this grouping and that as well as typically being over 55 years of age and pretty affluent they were also regular shoppers at Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer.
We couldn't leave it at that and so we asked CACI to reveal just who were the other lucky retailers that also attract this grouping. In no particular order they came back with John Lewis, Fenwicks, Laura Ashley, Habitat, Russell & Bromley, Boots, Austin Reed and Harvey Nichols. What clearly links these outfits is that their target market is generally over 45 years old and has high incomes.What they also have in common is that, apart from Laura Ashley, they are all privately owned businesses. It would appear that the retail industry is lacking a quoted operator that targets this potentially downturn-free part of the market. If one existed then maybe it would be performing a little better than all the other listed retailers - with general retailers down 40-plus per cent and food retailers down almost 14 per cent over the past year - but then again, maybe not.
Tagged as: viewpoint | luxury retailing | retailers | glynn davis
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