...and Buys Stake in Shopper Insights Specialist

WPP has acquired a 35% stake in retail marketing specialist Barrows, which offers a diverse range of services for FMCG clients, including shopper insights, retail strategy and product design. Terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1995 in South Africa, Barrows now also has offices in Brazil and the UK, and will shortly be opening in Singapore. The firm employs more than 400 staff, and as at 31 December 2011 had revenues of approximately $62m.

In February, WPP's global retail practice The Store launched a new resource offering clients access to a range of services covering shopper insights, store design, customer relationship management, in-store communications, packaging and e-commerce.

The company said in a statement that shopper marketing is estimated to be a $50 to $60 billion category worldwide, making it one of the fastest growing sectors in marketing.

Web sites: www.wpp.com , www.shoppermarketingstore.com and www.barrowsonline.com .