Welcome to Economic and Consumer Insight. On this blog I will post about economic and consumer trends. As head of the Passport: Countries & Consumers team at Euromonitor International, I manage a team of economic and consumer trends analysts based around the world.  We focus on translating economic and consumer trends information into useful insight and advise client companies on how these trends have a real-life impact on their business. In today’s opening post, we are offering the chance to download a free White Paper: “Sustainability and the New Normal for Natural Resources”.

In this I argue that we have reached a new normal of increased awareness of the real value of natural resources and raw materials – whatever the physical price. Today, green concerns have an impact on the purchasing decisions of almost all consumers. The imperative to change patterns of production and consumption will only grow in the future and companies who are ahead of the curve, educating and leading consumers will benefit the most.

With recent news that the UK came within 6 hours of running out of natural gas, and that India has suffered its worst economic growth in a decade – to some extent influenced by power shortages – resource security and efficiency are also at the heart of government policy and have a real impact on a global economic level.

Download the white paper now; I hope you enjoy reading it.