The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the largest global consumer event this year and will inaugurate a decade where the UK hosts a number of major world-class sporting events.

This edition, The Games consumer, considers how over the course of the next ten years hosting such high profile events will present important commercial opportunities for consumer-focused businesses. It then reviews how the most connected Games ever will provide a step change in digital consumption.

Finally it examines how the Games global reach represents opportunities for the brand of Britain to engage with global consumers.

The report also includes Q1 2012 results of our quarterly Deloitte Consumer Tracker a forward-looking economic update, focusing on consumer spending attitudes and behaviours based on our proprietary consumer survey and predictive analysis.

The Tracker provides detailed insight into the patterns of consumer spending on a category-by-category basis and looks into the underlying drivers of spending behaviour.

Key findings

The Games consumer
Our report highlights the opportunities that major sporting events like the London 2012 Games present.

They will not only further the UK’s reputation and track record as an attractive location, but will also benefit businesses in the consumer sector:

• The development of physical facilities and the intellectual capital gained from event management will position the UK as a centre of sporting excellence.
• The forthcoming Games, which promises to be the most connected Games ever, will also be a catalyst in shaping the way world events are ‘consumed’ and delivered in future, and will further the step change in the take up of digital services and products.
• In the next ten years the global stature of the UK will be enhanced and its improved public image will help tourism and consumer spending. For example, our research shows that London’s hosting of the Games has strongly influenced the level of engagement of Chinese and Indian respondents, with nearly 80 per cent indicating they would like to visit Britain as a result.

• Q1 2012 shows tentative signs of improvements in consumer conditions. Sentiments strengthen in three areas out of six and consumer behaviours have become less defensive in the last quarter.
• Lowering inflation is generally expected to support consumer spending as the latest official data shows an uptrend in retail sales and household expenditure.
• However there is clearly some uncertainty for the consumer sector with discretionary categories staying subdued as consumers remain cautious while deleveraging.
• But with the pace of decline in inflation slower than expected due to the sharp rise in oil prices, whether the UK consumer is able to contribute to an economic recovery this year remains uncertain.