supermarket shopper

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The platform will allow challenger brands to find out ‘what’s being bought by who, and why’, according to North Star

Fmcg consultancy North Star has partnered with Kantar to launch a dedicated shopper insights platform for challenger brands.

Called Illuminator, the “intuitive and easy-to-use” platform was designed specifically to meet the needs of “hungry, time-poor, super-busy” founders and commercial teams, according to North Star co-founder Kieran South.

It will offer subscribers exclusive access to data from Kantar’s behavioural research division, Worldpanel, in a bid to “level the playing field for ambitious challenger brands”.

Worldpanel collects quantitative and qualitative data from 30,000 UK households, making it “one of the largest continuous panels of its kind in the world”, according to South.

“Historically, data has been super-expensive, and you need experts on the team to interpret it,” he said.

Illuminator, however, offers challenger brands access to Kantar data for “significantly less” money via an accessible interface. It would allow them to find out “what’s being bought by who and why”, according to South.

“We are thrilled to partner with Kantar’s Worldpanel division to launch a transformational and first-of-its-kind new service,” he said.

“For too long, data has been a luxury reserved for the big brands and retailers. As shoppers change behaviours at an unprecedented pace, challenger brands need visibility into these changes and the opportunities they present to fulfil their true potential.”

Kantar Worldpanel growth director Sam Sudlow added: “Partnering with North Star to not only make the data available but help embed an understanding of shopper insight with the brands of tomorrow is a win for all concerned, and ultimately will help the very shoppers themselves that we hold at the heart of our business.”

Illuminator will launch on 22 July, available to challenger brands on annual subscription with a pay monthly option.