Synovate Buy Boosts UK Retail Tracking Business

Synovate has acquired SPSL, which provides retail foot traffic measurement data and publishes the UK's annual Retail Traffic Index.

Established in 1989, SPSL provides retailers with equipment, data capture, analysis and consulting services, and specialises in customer counting, in-store scanning and retail psychology. The Milton Keynes-based firm monitors more than one billion visits to over 4,600 retailers in the UK, operates across 15 countries in Europe and North America, and last year partnered with KPMG to launch the Retail Think Tank (www.mrweb.com/drno/news5686.htm ). As at 31 August 2007, SPSL had gross assets of £4.2m.

The acquisition complements Synovate Aztec's retail tracking business in Australia (www.mrweb.com/drno/news3875.htm ). Synovate's Global CEO Adrian Chedore comments: 'The SPSL Retail Traffic Index is regarded as the UK national benchmark of retail shopper traffic flow. As Synovate develops future offerings in the retail space, we will look to SPSL to play a thought leadership role in developing those products.'

Robert Lerwill, CEO of Synovate's parent company Aegis, added that his firm sees potential from leveraging SPSL's footfall knowledge alongside Synovate's existing capability in retail scan, customer satisfaction and shopper insights.

SPSL Commercial Director Dominic McGuiness reassured staff and suppliers that there would be no personnel changes as a result of the announcement, 'except when further expansion dictates'.

Web sites are at www.synovate.com and www.customercounting.com.

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

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