Restoring confidence: a pathway to growth. The 2011 UK retail chairmen survey

As a follow up to Korn Ferry Whitehead Mann's pre-election survey in early 2010, in September and October 2011, Korn/Ferry Whitehead Mann's Sally Elliott and Ben Twynam interviewed 24 leading retail chairmen to explore the progress that the Coalition Government has made.

The research found that retail chairmen are now calling on the UK Government to set out a clear vision for economic stability and growth in the UK as the sector struggles to cope with the most severe downturn in decades. In 2010, our panel of retail chairmen told us they were relieved that trading was not as bad as they had initially feared, but they were concerned that things were set to get worse. Those fears are now being realised: consumer confidence remains extremely low across the UK. Chairmen also said then that low levels of consumer confidence represented the most significant challenge facing retail.