CHICAGO — Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) and The NPD Group (NPD) announced on Thursday the signing of a definitive agreement through which IRI and NPD will merge. The combination will create a leading global technology, analytics and data provider that offers clients a view of total retail purchasing and consumption trends powered by advanced, predictive analytics on the industry-leading IRI Liquid Data technology platform. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the second half of 2022. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

By bringing together complementary leading data assets across a broad range of industries on the most innovative, sophisticated data visualization platform, the combined business will empower brands and retailers to collaborate, better service their customers, respond to trends and leverage more powerful insights to drive growth. NPD provides market information and advisory services for general merchandise, including softlines, technology and retail, as well as foodservice and food consumption. This will be combined with IRI’s unparalleled market measurement, supply chain and media optimization solutions, technology platform, retail relationships and data assets for the CPG industry, which encompasses the grocery, convenience and over-the-counter healthcare categories.

Kirk Perry, president and CEO of IRI, said, “This combination is a win for IRI, NPD, our clients and our teams as we bring together two industry leaders to offer a total store view. We look forward to joining forces with the NPD team, which brings expertise in parts of the store that IRI does not cover today. As the global retail landscape continues to evolve, IRI and NPD will have innovative technology, analytics, data resources, talent and geographic reach to best support the growth of the world’s leading brands and retailers. Our combined organization will be well-positioned for continued innovation and success, backed by the expertise and resources of our new majority investor, Hellman & Friedman (“H&F”), alongside our long-term partners at Vestar Capital and New Mountain Capital.”

NPD CEO Karyn Schoenbart added, “We are excited about the prospect of combining our companies to give clients the tools and information they need to succeed amid changing consumer behavior. Both NPD and IRI share similar client-focused, innovative and collaborative cultures, making this combination a natural fit.”