The U.K. Consumer: An Important Barometer

In most developed economies, the sector that hurt the most during the financial crisis and ensuing recession tended to be the consumer sector. Ironically, in the lead up to the crisis, it was the excesses of this sector that helped create the conditions that led to the crisis. But while the recession was largely a structural phenomenon, and has led many to call for a rebalancing of developed economies away from such a consumer-centric model, the fact remains that the consumer sector still matters.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/270912-the-u-k-consumer-an-important-barometer