Mail in the retail sector

Consumer confidence in the UK's clothing and retail sectors has recovered a little, but people are still spending and shopping cautiously and switching from major retailers to the big discounters in their hunt for food and fashion bargains.

This 2010 MMC analysis uses the latest Nielsen, Billetts, Mintel and TGI data to look at buying behaviour in these key sectors, and examines advertising spend across all media, including TV, press, cinema and mail.

It contains an overview of current market conditions, highlighting how consumers are taking a more information-led approach to shopping. It also summarises the strengths and weaknesses of both sectors. 

Key insights include:

• ABC1s are set to increase over the next five years, presenting new opportunities for online shops. However, this will be offset by the decline in the number of adults under 25.

• One-third of all retail spend on direct mail was targeted specifically at C1s.

• Advertisers spent £115m on retail direct mail from Jan-Dec 2009, although there are seasonal fluctuations. Direct mail had the third highest share of retail advertising spend - after press and TV.

• 15-34 year olds are relatively under-mailed, yet younger age groups are more likely to agree that direct mail can change their opinion of a company or brand than older age groups.

• 17.7m (36%) of the UK population bought from a mail order catalogue in the past 12 months.

• 12% of all adults have visited a store once or twice in response to mail.