Publications

A range of publications and thought leadership is available to retail and consumer companies in the UK:

What’s in store? - 2nd edition
Welcome to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ second edition of ‘What’s in store?’.  What’s in store is dedicated to the retail and consumer sector and you will find articles here that focus on our latest research, explore new and emerging trends, and share some of the insights we’ve gained through working with leading companies in the industry.

Do you believe in santa claus?
UK Retail Christmas Trading Statement 2008/9 looking at trading figures and commentary of retail and consumer good companies.

What's in Store?
Business insight for the retail and consumer sector

A Survey of Retail and Consumer Goods Companies
Global Sourcing: Shifting Strategies a survey of nearly 60 large retail and consumer goods companies in eight countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, the UK and the US. The report delivers thought-provoking findings. According to the survey, the practice of global sourcing in the retail and consumer sector is thriving, but many companies are not particularly clear on their cost savings or confident of product safety and other key risks. Cost is still the primary driver of global sourcing decisions. The report also contains practical recommendations on carbon footprint, supplier risk management, performance measurement and tax.

Global Economic Crime Survey - industry supplements
Read the industrial products (IP) and retail & consumer (R&C) industry sector supplements to the 2007 Global economic crime survey. The six supplements examine data from each sector and compare and contrast their industry executive views with those of executives across all industries.

The 4th biennial Global Economic Crime Survey: Economic crime: people, culture & controls
The retail and consumer industry is one of the sectors hardest hit by economic crime, with more respondents reporting many more incidents than in other industries. So, what is the situation and what can be done to try and combat it?

Putting Performance into Context: Retail and Consumer Goods
High-quality information on corporate activity is an essential ingredient for the successful functioning of today’s capital markets and the societies in which they operate. What is clear, however, is that the increasing complexity, and length, of financial reporting has also led to a greater emphasis on the non-financial and contextual information presented by companies.

Retail and Consumer Worlds: January 2008
The January, 2008 issue of Retail and Consumer Worlds features an interview with Todd Ludeke, the director of international transfer pricing for Wal-Mart Stores. Other highlights include an article on the changing Russian retail scene and insights into ethical consumerism.

Consumer markets beyond Shanghai
Galloping overall Chinese economic growth, even faster development of the coastal areas, and the confirmation of Shanghai as the country’s commercial centre of gravity have all contributed to the emergence of a substantial – and lucrative – cohort of consumers in that city.

New guidance on IFRIC 13
This publication, which is written primarily with retail and consumer companies in mind, will help clarify the impact of IFRIC 13.

Managing the risks of counterfeit products
This survey analyses the changing consumer buying behaviour that we believe is one of the main drivers behind continued investment in luxury goods and counterfeits.

REACH in the clothing retail sector*
A look at the implications of the EU regulation on Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) which entered into force on 1 June 2007.

Complexity and supply chains
This article explores some of the pressures that individuals involved in supply chain management face today, and suggests the immediate areas to address to better integrate the numerous souring issues within purchasing practices.

The Internet: this time it's for real
This report, with accompanying video, looks at the reality of online retail which is finally catching up with the early hype.

Creating value for retail & consumer goods companies (633K PDF)
Details PricewaterhouseCoopers expertise and services available to retail and consumer goods companies in the UK. Includes a listing of our key contacts and credentials.

IFRS and the impact on tax for the retail sector
This paper discusses the emerging issues that the move to IFRS has had on tax related areas, covering both cash taxes and accounting for taxes.

From Sao Paulo to Shanghai
This is the fifth edition of annual regional research which analyses the different and changing investment challenges and opportunities for companies in the retail and consumer sector.

Winning at all costs
This publication examines retail operations across four European countries, UK, France, Spain and Germany. We look at how these markets and their cost structures differ, what accounts for the difference and see how retailers can succeed in winning in the face of differentiation.

Who really profits in a world of falling prices?
Price deflation is having a dramatic impact on the UK retail and consumer goods sectors. We look at how prices have moved, explore the underlying factors and the ways consumer goods companies are responding.

M&A Insight series – Retail & branded goods
Our Insights series offers an overview of annual M&A activity together with detailed data, analysis and opinions on some of the principal trends and forces driving in the industry.

Sourcing overseas for the retail sector
A series of papers on sourcing overseas in retail. Topics covered to date include the abolition of quotas in textiles and clothing & CSR and the ethical supply chain.

Segmental reporting under IFRS in the retail sector (102K PDF)
To help inform the debate around ‘segmental reporting’ in the UK retail sector, we review the requirements of IAS14 and survey the segmental disclosures made by retailers.

Retail & consumer worlds
Quarterly newsletter which provides updates on activities affecting retail and consumer goods organisations across the globe. It covers a broad range of topics and provides commentary on major retailing trends and issues.

Global retail & consumer tax benchmarking survey
Compiled from a review of the financial statements of more than two hundred retail and consumer goods companies globally and from the results of a questionnaire completed by tax managers of companies in the sector.

From Beijing to Budapest: New Retail & Consumer Growth Dynamics in Transitional Economies
An overview of the economic, social and cultural environment in 14 countries from the Asia and Central & Eastern European regions. It highlights the challenges and opportunities for retail and consumer goods companies wishing to invest - or already investing - there.