The impact of the credit crunch has led to a reversal in fortunes for much of the EU retail sector. Most consumers in the EU have reached the peak of private indebtedness; with unemployment rates rising, consumer confidence dipping, consumer credit becomes increasingly hard to get hold of. Less debt financed consumption means that the EU is now entering a phase of contracting economic activity. This will impact and hurt the housing market, stock exchanges and retailing hard. Most countries with the exception of France, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and Sweden showed a significant easing in monthly retail growth towards the end of 2008. The Impact of the Credit Crunch on European Retail is a new issue-based report from Verdict Research that examines how the current economic climate is impacting individual retail sectors and identifies strategies retailers can deploy to cope with the downturn.
Published: February 2009 - Europe. |
