YouGov, a market leader in opinion research, purchasing motivation and media habits of consumers, has acquired GfK SE’s Household Panel (Consumer Panel Services GfK), a leading provider of household purchasing data and analysis in Europe. The acquisition, which is part of YouGov’s long-term development strategy, increases the company’s presence in the FMCG sector and sets new standards in consumer behavior and attitude research. The merger of both companies will broaden the offer of consumer research, enabling YouGov and CPS GfK clients to better understand every stage of the consumer purchasing experience – starting from what and where they buy, ending on why and how they make choices.
The agreement broadens YouGov’s offer, providing unique, complementary solutions for the FMCG and retail sectors in Europe. CPS GfK conducts research in 16 European countries, providing data on 18 million consumer experiences from over 100,000 households. Thanks to YouGov’s solutions, the existing 1,100 CPS GfK clients will gain access to constantly updated information about an ever-growing number of consumers, as well as research on the viewership of 26 million panel participants registered in 55 markets.
YouGov’s investment in a planned and thoughtful integration program will ensure a smooth transition for CPS GfK customers and partners, enabling both companies to leverage their strengths from the start. The transaction, valued at 315 million euros, accelerates YouGov’s long-term strategy of further investing in technology, products, and platforms, while expanding research panels and finalizing acquisitions that will increase the geographic scope and data pool.
Steve Hatch, CEO of YouGov: This is an extraordinary moment when the YouGov team of experts joins CPS GfK. It is an important step in fulfilling our mission of giving voice to consumers and helping organizations make better decisions. YouGov and CPS GfK will jointly use and complement their strengths to face the challenges facing the industry. Together, we set the future of market research. By combining CPS GfK’s 60 years of experience in providing the highest-quality consumer behavior data and YouGov’s market-leading motivational data, our clients will fully understand what consumers worldwide think, want, buy and why. We will invest and develop capabilities to become a leader in delivering purchasing data, marketing data, and consumer opinions. Thanks to the combined solutions, the combined strengths of both companies will enable us to better meet the needs of our customers and partners.
Stefan Heremans, CEO of CPS GfK: The takeover of CPS GfK by YouGov is a groundbreaking moment for CPS GfK, our clients, and the FMCG and retail sector across Europe. For over 60 years, CPS GfK has provided clients with an understanding of every stage of the buying experience. While becoming part of the YouGov family, our clients can expect the same data quality they have always used. However, we are pleased that YouGov’s unique data on opinions, motivations, needs, and media habits of consumers will further deepen our relationship. CPS GfK and YouGov have a lot in common – including high quality research panels in which millions of consumers share their opinions and data with us, giving our clients a solid knowledge base. We look forward to investing in our platform, products, and panelists to provide our clients with the most comprehensive insight into consumer experiences in the region. We are excited about this new chapter in our long history, which will allow us to create even more value for people and companies worldwide.
