The firm said the drop reflected “the scale of the [financial] crisis and the resulting changes in client behaviour”. However, it boasted that it was still “outperforming” the rest of the MR industry. Gross profit for the period was down 1.9% to €279.7m.

By business division and on an organic basis, marketing research research revenues fell 11%, customer relationship research activities were down 9%, media research was 5% down and advertising research saw a drop of 4%. The only unit to post a revenue increase during the period was opinion and social research, which climbed 5%.

North America and Europe saw negative organic growth of 9% and 5% respectively, while the Asia Pacific/Middle East region grew 2%.

The firm said it would be “unrealistic” to expect a better second half to the year, and said its “Plan B” cost reduction programme would continue into the latter part of 2009.