Kantar Acquires UK Shopper Research Firm

The Kantar Group, whose companies include Research International and Millward Brown, has acquired the UK's Retail Marketing Services (RMS), a specialist shopper research agency. The company's services include the MultiTrack and IC Scan systems, which film shoppers' in-store behaviour.

IC Scan uses micro camera spectacles to provide film footage of what shoppers see in-store and how they respond. The MultiTrack software aims to quantify the behaviour of shoppers in-store through filming and analysis. It provides details of shopper flows and hotspots to help with store layout and communication at the point of purchase. Outputs include thermal maps and film clips of behaviours.

RMS, which was set up in 1977, is led by co-founder Guy Vaughan. Vaughan is also a Director and Head of Research at Point of Purchase Advertising Index (POPAI) UK and Ireland, which advises manufacturers on effectiveness at point of purchase. He has also recently been appointed to the POPAI USA board.

Speaking of the takeover, Vaughan says: 'With the backing of a group with the scale, reach and resources of Kantar, RMS now has the opportunity to expand its offering further.'

Fiona McAnena, Development Director at Kantar, explains that understanding shopper behaviour is a key focus and growth area for Kantar. 'Together with Glendinning, Management Ventures, Cannondale Associates, as well as specialists elsewhere in the group, Kantar now has one of the strongest networks of retail and shopper expertise available.'

Financial details of the takeover have not been disclosed. RMS, which has headquarters in Watford and a nationwide field force, is online at www.rms-uk.com.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.