Friday, 4 October 2013

Consumer confidence – weighed in the balance


One of the tests of the English legal system is “what would the man on the Clapham omnibus think?”.

 

Basically this is the reaction to any problem or situation that could be expected from a reasonably educated and intelligent but non-specialist person.


In the current economic climate many companies would do well to ask “what does the man standing in the queue at the Clapham supermarket checkout think?”


The problem is that many people running businesses (or for that matter senior politicians) are too removed from the realities of life to effectively understand the economic difficulties faced by the ordinary consumer. Further evidenced this week by Prime Minister Cameron’s gaffe over the price of bread.


It is a very easy exercise, a few minutes spent in the supermarket or on a garage forecourt will give a true insight into the problems and frustrations currently felt by the ordinary consumer.

People are looking for value as evidenced by the latest results from the discount supermarket group Aldi whose UK pre-tax profits surged 124% to £157.9m in 2012, with the company saying it attracted a million more shoppers through its doors.

The discount chain's latest accounts posted at Companies House show revenues up 41% to £3.9bn last year.


The economic recovery will only be sustained once
the man in the street has regained confidence.

 

 

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