Market Insights_

Britons are persisting with splashing the cash, say economists

In the week to August 15, bank transactions tracked by Fable Data recorded spending 7 per cent above the same period last year, when it was boosted by the government’s “eat out to help out” meal subsidy scheme.

23 August 2021

Press

Economists pinpoint UK local authorities in greatest need of support post-Covid-19 – new research

Academics at the University of Nottingham partnered with Experian, Fable Data and Huq to source data from consumer and company credit files, transaction-level data on consumer spending and geolocation. These granular data sources allow the researchers to track, at the local authority level, consumer and business financial distress; measures of how much people travel; and consumer spending.

23 July 2021

Press

UK Food Delivery: Our latest insights on whether consumer growth will slow post-lockdown

While much of the UK hospitality industry has suffered since lockdowns began in March last year, Food Delivery has seen spend accelerate, along with the Grocery sector. Since April 2021, Food Delivery spend remains elevated even post-lockdown and with the opening of pubs and restaurants. Food Delivery spend is now up over 150% vs the...

24 June 2021

Market Insights

UK Food Delivery: what can customer cohorts tell us about behaviour trends?

We recently shared how our data is providing early and predictive signs that growth in Food Delivery spend remains elevated. While spend remains relatively high versus pre-pandemic levels, we can look at a number of underlying customer metrics to help unpack the reasons for the improvement. This week we look at how customer cohort analysis...

24 June 2021

Market Insights

Eurozone economy edges back towards pre-pandemic norms

Consumers in the eurozone are flocking back to bars and restaurants, booking holidays and travelling to work again, according to unofficial data that suggest pre-pandemic patterns of economic activity are re-emerging. In Germany, restaurant bookings and consumer spending are both higher than their levels in June 2019, according to OpenTable and Fable Data, which tracks bank transactions.

22 June 2021

Press

Leading universities team with Fable Data

Fable Data team with leading academic partners to develop insights. Our academic partners at Chicago Booth and Nottingham Universities issued some interesting research on UK local lockdowns, using Fable Data. Their findings support the effectiveness of local lockdowns in controlling virus infection rates, while protecting the economy. They found a correlation of >90% between data...

13 June 2021

Market Insights

First week of indoor service sees spending up on 2019 levels

Spending in UK pubs spiked 28% on 2019 trading levels for the first week of indoor trading. Consumers were keen to get back indoors, transaction data from Fable has revealed, with a 28% growth in spend in the week 17 May to 23 May, compared to the same week in 2019.

01 June 2021

Press

Rush of customers to UK pubs and restaurants points to economic boost

UK consumer spending between Monday and Wednesday last week rose 10 per cent on the levels recorded for the same days in 2019, before the pandemic hit. This was the strongest reading of any week since coronavirus restrictions were put in place in the UK last March, according to figures from Fable Data, which tracks banks transactions.

25 May 2021

Press

Eurozone shows signs of bouncing back from double-dip recession

Meanwhile there are early indications that consumers are becoming more willing to spend. Retail and entertainment centres are receiving more visitors, according to Google Mobility data. German consumer spending in the week ending May 9 was just 3 per cent below the same week in 2019, according to Fable Data, which tracks bank transactions.

19 May 2021

Market Insights

UK consumer confidence rises to highest level since first lockdown

Spending in the week to April 18 was 5 per cent above the equivalent week in 2019, according to Fable Data, which tracks credit card transactions. The figures covered the period after the reopening of non-essential shops, the hospitality sectors and personal services such as hairdressers and it was the first week this year that spending beat the equivalent week in 2019.

23 April 2021

Market Insights

UK businesses report strong trade after lockdown reopening

In the first three days after the reopening, consumer spending was up 10 per cent compared with the same days of that week in 2019, up from nearly minus 30 per cent in the week ending April 11, according to Fable Data, a company that tracks credit card transactions.

20 April 2021

Market Insights

Grocery sector gains are sustained into 2021, as basket sizes continue to increase

There is no question that spend in the Grocery sector has been elevated as a result of the pandemic – the real questions are by how much, and how that will change in 2021. Fable Data tracks real-time consumer spending, allowing us to provide valuable insights into the Grocery sector. Seasonal fluctuations accentuated by COVID...

10 February 2021

Market Insights

Growth figures don’t tell us what we really need to know about economy

Of more potential use is research from the likes of University of Nottingham professor John Gathergood and his colleagues using real time credit card spending figures from data firm Fable, giving a more recent picture of where the spending is happening.  The authors rightly point out that with such surgical data on spending available – the Fable data is available with a one-day lag – the opportunity is there for the Government to offer surgical support with policies such as business rates relief.

09 February 2021

Market Insights

Mapping and addressing COVID-19 regional inequalities using real-time spending data

A recent UK government aim is to address such disparities through policies to 'level-up' the regions that historically have experienced less benefits arising from globalisation and national economic growth. This is a particular pertinent issue for the UK, which is among the most geographically unequal developed economies. In our research, we use granular, real-time data on consumer spending to measure the uneven 2020 recession and recovery across UK regions. 

28 January 2021

Press

Eurozone heading for double-dip recession as expert fears ‘wave of bankruptcies’

Germany last week rolled out a series of new measures with infections and deaths growing at a record rates. Consumer spending in the second week of January was down 25 percent compared to the same period last year, according to Fable Data.

18 January 2021

Press

Lockdowns fuel fears of double-dip recession in Eurozone 

German consumer spending in the second week of January was 25 per cent lower than in the same period last year, according to Fable Data, which tracks bank transactions.

17 January 2021

Press

Consumers rushed out to spend after England lockdown lifted

Figures produced by Fable Data, based on card transactions and bank payments, show that consumer expenditure in the UK was up 9.4 per cent in the week ending December 13 compared with the same period a year ago.

17 December 2020

Press

Airlines Insights – November volume declines continue amid pricing turbulence

Fable Data can see consumer spending in real time, allowing us to track and quantify the seismic changes in the airline industry this year, looking for signs of where early recovery is happening by airline and region. By mapping account spending data to thousands of underlying merchants and stock tickers we can observe the performance...

14 December 2020

Market Insights

How to contain COVID-19 flare-ups without crushing the economy

As the virus that causes COVID-19 continues to spread, global policy makers face a multitrillion-dollar question: How can we contain it without a fresh round of broad lockdowns? The researchers combined COVID-19 case reports with spending figures provided by Fable Data.

17 November 2020

Press

New restrictions less damaging to UK economy than spring lockdown, data show

Consumer spending contracted 2.8 per cent in the week ending November 8 compared with the same week last year, down from a 1 per cent expansion in the previous week, but a smaller drop than in March, according to Fable Data.

16 November 2020

Press