GfK Buys Pricing Intelligence Specialist Cogenta

GfK has acquired UK-based online retail and pricing intelligence firm Cogenta, which will now be fully integrated into the German-based group as the GfK Online Pricing Intelligence solution.

Cogenta, which was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Windsor, currently collects data on more than 8 million products across more than 20 countries. GfK says the buy 'broadens and deepens' its existing retail tracking business, in terms of both global coverage and digital expertise; and will give its retail and industry clients 'a thorough understanding of online prices' at a time when pricing decisions are being made 'at ever increasing speed and frequency'. Cogenta's data will also be combined with other GfK assets, including sales-out information.

Gerhard Hausruckinger, GfK's Management Board Member for the Consumer Choices sector, says of the buy: 'Cogenta's innovative services fit perfectly into our portfolio for retailers and manufacturers and help them make informed business decisions with regards to pricing. We look forward to globally expanding this business as it is integrated into the GfK portfolio.'

Cogenta's CEO and co-founder Adrian Hobbs says joining GfK was 'an obvious option' given his firm's existing product and client portfolio, and will allow it to provide its solution to 'many more clients globally and in a much shorter timeframe than we could have achieved on our own'.

Web site: www.gfk.com .