零售商40年成長回顧及未來趨勢

1975 – 1980年：經濟的衰退及行銷的崛起

比起戰後時代，60年代的繁榮帶給購物方式很大的改變。消費者有了比以往任何時候都還要多的選擇，加上汽車開始普及，人們也開始願意到更遠的地方購買他們想要的東西。
1975年，當Ipsos剛成立的時候，英國正處於經濟衰退的困境，零售商之間的競爭變得激烈。消費者追求越來越低的價格，也促使了沒有過多裝飾的暢貨中心（outlet）的興起。
這個時期的零售商，正從只是簡單地替製造商展示及銷售商品的階段轉型，開始試圖積極影響消費者的選擇。而行銷方面主要是透過廣告和促銷活動的方式，幫助品牌建立獨特的身份，零售商對於顧客的需求也有了較多的瞭解。
此外，以數據資料為基礎的行銷方式慢慢形成，零售商開始建立自己的客戶資料庫，加以作區隔分析，並以不同客戶族群會感興趣的溝通方式，向各族群展示他們可能會購買的商品。

Early 1990s: Back into brief recession 

The new decade brought with it more economic hardship as the UK was plunged into recession again. Faced with high interest rates and falling house prices, consumers tightened their belts and retailers did the same. In a bid to cut costs, and pass savings on to customers, retailers looked at the supply chain, making changes in operations and management as well as developing new strategies such as category management. 
In addition, the rise of shopping centres and out-of-town retail parks gave retailers greater economies of scale. These developments, facilitated by the commercial property sector and supported by local and central government, led to a more car-dependent society. 
Data marketing, which was in its infancy in the last decade, became more sophisticated as retailers analysed transactions and used focus groups to find out about customers’ attitudes and motivation. 
There was also a proliferation of loyalty cards, which not only offered rewards for spending but also gave retailers an insight into customers’ behaviour.