INDUSTRY
STRONGER TOGETHER
Stronger together
Dealer groups have helped their members to negotiate a turbulent 18 months and now they are looking more optimistically to the future helping dealers to grow once more
A
fter the COVID-19 pandemic brought about one of the toughest
was the biggest upgrade of a major economy. The IMF believes this growth is set to continue in
years for the UK economy in living
2022, with predictions of 4.8% growth – although this
memory – with the economy
is down 0.3% from its April prediction. This optimism is
shrinking by 10% - 2021 has signalled
filtering through to the office products sector, with dealer
more of a return to normal as lockdown and social
groups now looking forward with optimism, offering their
distancing measures have eased.
members a range of products and services to help them
Indeed, the UK economy is set to grow sharply this
make the most of the opportunities in the market.
year; the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised up its growth forecast for the UK in July, saying it expects the
SURVIVING THE PANDEMIC
economy to grow by 7% - the joint-fastest of the major
While the lockdown periods of the pandemic were tough,
advanced economies, alongside the US. This prediction
dealer groups and their members have largely weathered
was 1.7% higher than the IMF forecast in April and, again,
it. “Dealers have done OK, particularly those who have
[18] OCTOBER 2021
www.dealersupport.co.uk
