Glimmers amid the gloom

Asia represents the best growth prospects for retailers and consumer-products companies. For retail and consumer-products companies, most of Asia continues to present growth opportunities, albeit at a slower rate in the short term, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers report, Glimmers amid the gloom. At the same time, markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Latin America will contract. The report, Glimmers amid the gloom: The outlook for the retail and consumer products sector in emerging markets, written in co-operation with the Economist Intelligence Unit, discusses the outlook for six retail and consumer-products sub-sectors in emerging markets

From São Paulo to Shanghai New consumer dynamics: the impact on modern retailing

This on-going thought leadership study has analysed over the years the different and changing investment challenges and opportunities for companies in the retail and consumer sector in transitional economies. This year, we have focussed on three main regions in the developing world – Asia, Eastern Europe and South America. We addressed two major economies from each continent, which include the four BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries as well as Argentina and Poland. Therefore, this year’s study is at once broader and deeper.

M&A Retail & Consumo

After a relatively quiet year in 2004, M&A activity picked up in the food sector last year with deal volumes increasing by 11%. The combined value of these deals rose by 44%. Several of the largest transactions in the food industry last year were conducted by private equity houses, which show no signs yet of having sated their desire for food-related investments.