Verdict Research

Verdict Research

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Business Intelligence
Founded	1984
Founder(s)	Richard Hyman
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Area served	Global
Key people	Maureen Hinton, Anne Marie Davis, Sarah Peters, Pat O'Brien
Parent	Informa
Website	http://www.verdict.co.uk/

Verdict Research is a United Kingdom-based company founded by retail analyst Richard Hyman in 1984. It conducts research into all aspects of retailing and consumers producing both syndicated publications and tailored consulting projects and is headquartered in London.

Verdict specialises in analysis of the UK and global retail markets, with a particular focus on the clothing, grocery, furniture, homewares and electricals sectors, retail forecasting, consumer insight and analysis of retail channels and locations.

Acquisition by Datamonitor

In September 2005, Verdict was acquired by Datamonitor for a maximum consideration of £4.7m in cash. Datamonitor was itself subsequently acquired by Informa in 2007.

Company timeline

• 1984 - Started in September 1984 by Richard Hyman who was previously a director of Mintel. The company’s mission statement was "to be the best in retail research and analysis" and it differentiated itself by writing opinion rather than merely reporting retail facts. Unlike many other firms operating in the research arena, the company only employed in-house analysts, not freelancers. The first report was on grocers and was published in January for £250.00; the first customer was Panmure Gordon.
• 1985 - The company moved to Britten Street and the first employees (a secretary, an analyst and a marketing manager) were employed. The company produced 12 reports in first year with two analysts.
• 1986 - The company sold its first consultancy project for £4,750.
• 1987 - The company moved to High Holborn and added more reports, including those focusing on consumer, forecasting and retail issues. The first Verdict conference was also held; these were held ever year for the next four years.
• 1990 - The company added Fieldforce, a range and price auditing company, based in Coventry.
• 1992 - The first European Report were produced. The company also launched the Retail Verdict Newsletter, 136 subscribers in first year. Followed a year later in 1993 by European and US Newsletters.
• 1994 - The company celebrated its 10th Anniversary. Champagne reception held after annual conference at Connaught Rooms.
• 1996 - Retail Daily News was launched.
• 1997 - The company moved office to Berners Street just off Oxford Street in London.
• 1999 - The 40th employee was taken on and the number of off-shelf reports exceed 40 per year for the first time.
• 2000 - All Verdict’s publications were made available over the internet.
• 2005 - The company was acquired by Datamonitor, which was then acquired by Informa in 2007.
• 2006 - Verdict expands its series of non-UK retail analysis.
• 2009 - The company moves into the Guardian's former building on the Farringdon Road on the eve of its 25th birthday.
• 2010 - Verdict's off-shelf reports exceed 150 per year.