Global MR Picture

Global MR turnover topped US$23.3bn in 2005, according to ESOMAR's Industry Report, launched at its annual Congress today. France overtook Germany to become the third biggest world market, while China grew at 25% and will break into the global top 5 markets in 5-6 years if current growth continues.

The turnover total represents year-on-year growth of 5.7% and net growth of 3.0% after allowing for inflation.

Over two thirds of global turnover is generated in the five biggest markets, the US, UK, France, Germany and Japan. Europe's share is up to 45% and North America's down to 36% (including USA, 33.1%). Asia Pacific's share is 14%, with turnover up 7.4% on last year.

The UK recorded the slowest growth of the top five markets, at just 0.7%, although this disguises strong growth in the domestic sector (4.7%) and a decline in international research (down 5%) – the latter saw strong growth in 2004 so any long-term trends are difficult to discern. The UK still has the world's highest MR spend per capita with the equivalent of $39.69. At the other end of the European scale, Latvia, Poland and Lithuania all have per capita MR spend of less than one tenth that in the UK; while in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar, spend is less than 10 cents a head.

According to ESOMAR's split by sector, manufacturing accounts for nearly half of all MR spend (48%): of this, more than half (56%) is FMCG, while almost a quarter (24%) is pharmaceutical and health care. In terms of spend by research method, online rose by a modest amount – up only 2% - across the world, but is expected to continue growing steadily, while use of face-to-face methods for quant saw the most drastic change – down 7% on the year.

This is a small selection of the data from the detailed ESOMAR survey – the organisation is online at www.esomar.org .

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