Market Force buys Retail Eyes

UK mystery shopping group Retail Eyes will today announce it has been bought by Market Force Information, which its head calls a "springboard" for growth. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Retail Eyes was set up in 2003, and last year posted turnover of £9.6m, up 46 per cent on the previous year. Following the merger, Retail Eyes' head office in Milton Keynes will become the combined group's European centre.

Market Force is based in the US. The revenues for the combined companies are expected to exceed $70m (£45m) this year. Tim Ogle, chief executive of Retail Eyes, said the move would be "the springboard for even more growth for us".

He added: "Market Force's experience and support will give us the financial and experiential resources needed to grow the business further, both here in the UK, as well as throughout Europe."