Tough times ahead for market research aggregators.

Byline: Tim Buckley Owen

Tough times ahead for market research aggregators

Even though some users may have been surprised by the [pounds sterling]502m paid by Informa for analyst and forecaster Datamonitor, business experts generally think the book and journals publisher has got itself a bargain. But will the acquisition reduce supplier competition and user choice in market research?

"Informa has rightly and successfully adopted a laissez-faire approach to all its acquisitions to date, allowing them to continue to run as separate entities in their respective niche markets," says one information professional at a global financial services company. "The acquisition adds flavour to its soup and, more valuably, a huge client database."

"As one company is bought by another, so another will appear," says Ronnie McBryde, head of research at market research publisher Mintel. "When the Henley Centre stopped producing reports, the Future Foundation filled that gap. Xtreme bought Digireels, and Kynelle appeared."

McBryde believes there is room for all players. As former group information director at advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty, he regularly subscribed to more than 40 research companies. "Ensuring the company was aware of what else was out on the market meant that I didn't turn down many cold-call sellers."

quantity immaterial