FMCG Links: The FMCG Industry Recruitment in the FMCG Industry     FMCG Associations

FMCG Industry

Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), as its name would imply, is one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK economy. It encompasses a huge range of products and services in manufacturing, distribution and retailing from food, beverage & tobacco, toiletries, cosmetics & packaging, to consumer health & household goods. The growth in the sector has naturally led to an increase in FMCG recruitment.

• Including the Food, Drink & Pharmaceutical sectors, FMCG output accounts for 19% of the UK's GDP.

• Those working within FMCG manufacturing in the UK account for 14% of the total workforce in Britain.

• FMCG sales accounted for £14.5bn in 2000, this was spent on non-food FMCG UK products alone in the UK's grocery retail sector.

• The non-food FMCG UK market as a whole amounted to £110bn in 2000.

• Over the 1995-2000 period, non-food sales grew by 29%, compared with only 16% for grocery. Over the 2000-05 period, the forecast figures, again in favour of non-food, are 24% and 15%.

FMCG Links: The FMCG Industry Recruitment in the FMCG Industry     FMCG Associations

Issues Facing the FMCG Sector

Disturbances within the FMCG UK sector can often be severe. Failure of a company to react quickly to these disturbances can lead to irreversible loss of sales and market position. Variations on demand, raw material availability and machine breakdown are amongst the most significant issues faced. However as well as reacting to short-term disturbances, UK-based FMCG companies will have to develop to meet the changes that are undergoing the industry at this time. Price wars and anti-competitive legislation, particularly in the EU, places restraint on manufacturers, and consolidation among retailers and trading alliances also adds to the manufacturers' challenges. Structural changes across the industry and demand for a wider and ever changing range of products at lower prices from value-conscious consumers are the most significant.

Companies in the FMCG UK sector which appear most able to deal with these changes portray a number of common characteristics throughout their departments:

• Close communications at all levels, within departments, companies and throughout the supply chain.

• Being able to observe and learn from other industries and transplant that knowledge into solutions within a company's own processes.

• Due to the proliferation of new products and high volumes that characterise the FMCG sector, an ability to deal with mix and volume changes effectively is vital.

• Despite continuing development in automation, companies who recognise that their people are the most crucial asset are most effective. Innovative FMCG recruitment practices are therefore essential for survival.

• Supply chain management is crucial to the effectiveness of the FMCG sector in the UK. Kinetic plc has a number of "supply chain management jobs" and are constantly updating our database on behalf of our clients.

• FMCG recruitment is constantly evolving and Kinetic plc, via various technology led innovations, are pioneering the way in this field.
  

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