Robeco's Neele on the current European consumer trends

Europe is full of secular growth trends including digitalisation, faster growth in emerging markets, consumer loyalty to premium brands and increased health awareness.

When it comes to stockpicking, these are more important to consider than macro issues such as Brexit or the Italian budget discussion. As we look for areas where companies can add economic value, we search all corners of Europe to find firms with a competitive edge. In terms of digitalisation, we must conclude, despite having some leading technology companies, that Europe does not currently have tech titans such as the internet platforms from the US and China. Industry Voice: Why Europe is delivering on its Potential However, recent examples have shown maybe we do not really nee...