Ernst & Young has published a survey entitled Information Technology in the UK Retail Sector, and it is claiming that despite the recession, retailers are spending more on information technology: the key findings are that retail information technology expenditure in the UK is estimated at 0.85% of turnover, but annual costs have risen by 14% in the past year and expenditure is still below 1.19%, the 1989 figure in the US; spending on computer staff is down to 37% from 42% of total technology expenditure; the survey claims that the status of computer skills and staff has risen, and in 40% of the companies surveyed, management information system managers report direct to the chief executive officer; on the downside, US retailers are said to be more than two years ahead of UK counterparts, especially in areas like electronic data interchange.
