GfK sells European consumer panel business to YouGov

GfK’s sale of its European consumer panel business was necessary to obtain the anti-trust approvals required for GfK’s merger with NIQ, which completed in July 2023.

YouGov has made the acquisition, first reported on last summer, to bolster its presence in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) market.

CPG GfK offers household purchase data in Europe, with panels in 18 countries, covering 100,000 households.

The deal extends YouGov’s offer across the European FMCG and retail sectors and gives CPS GfK’s clients access to YouGov’s consumer insights and audience research.

The acquisition was valued at a headline purchase price of €315m and is part of YouGov’s strategy to make acquisitions that expand its geographical footprint and ability to collect data.

CPS GfK’s 1,100 staff have moved to YouGov. YouGov will maintain the GfK name for a transition period.

Steve Hatch, chief executive, YouGov (pictured), said: “This is an exciting moment as we welcome CPS GfK and its team of experts to YouGov. It is a significant step in our mission of giving people a voice and helping organisations of all types make better decisions.

“YouGov and CPS GfK build on and complement each other’s strengths and this acquisition solves a significant challenge in the industry. By bringing together CPS GfK’s 60 years of experience in delivering the best quality behavioural data and YouGov’s market leading attitudinal data in one place, our clients can fully understand what the world thinks, wants, and buys.

“Together, we will invest in and build upon our joint capabilities, enabling us to realise our vision of becoming the leading provider of shopper, marketing and opinion data.”

Stefan Heremans, president, CPS GfK, said: “For over 60 years, CPS GfK has provided clients with insight into what shoppers buy and why they buy it. As we become part of YouGov, our clients can expect the same quality data they have always enjoyed. We are now excited that we will further deepen their relationships with us through YouGov’s exceptional data on consumer opinions, motivations, wants and media habits.”

Jim Peck, chief executive at NIQ, said the sale had “enabled the strategic combination of NIQ and GfK”, and added: “I am proud of the progress we have made over the last six months of integration and look forward to seeing the potential of our combined company unfold on a global scale.”