Global Business Environment (BM461): Waitrose PESTLE Analysis Report

This report presents a PESTLE analysis of Waitrose, a UK-based high-end supermarket chain. The analysis examines the political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors impacting the company. The report highlights the effects of Brexit, unemployment rates, changing consumer preferences for health and organic products, technological advancements, employment laws, and environmental concerns. Furthermore, it identifies key drivers of change, including evolving employee needs and shifts in consumer behavior, emphasizing their importance for Waitrose's future business growth. The conclusion stresses the significance of adapting to environmental changes and making informed decisions to effectively manage these drivers.

GLOBAL BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
PESTLE analysis on Waitrose....................................................................................................3
Key drivers of change.................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
The current report is based on Waitrose, it is a high end market supermarket chain in UK
and food division of British retailer. This study explain PESTLE analysis and determine key
drivers of change that impact on firm.
MAIN BODY
PESTLE analysis on Waitrose
Political factor-
It factors includes policies such as fiscal and tax policies, trade rules that a government
impose around fiscal period and it affects business environment to a wide extent (Tupa and
VOJTOVIČ, 2018). The tax and trade policy of UK government has been changed after Brexit
which directly impact on trading process of retailers and organizations operating their business
under it such as Waitrose negatively. Due to which entire revenues and profit margin structure of
company might change.
Economic factor-
It includes interest & foreign exchange rates, inflation, economic growth patterns and
unemployment rates (Matthews, 2017). Among all these economic factors, unemployment is one
of the factor that impact on Waitrose business positively by providing change to hire and recruit
skilled applicants from wide talent pool accessible in marketplace, who are able to increase the
productivity of firm rather than before.
Social factor-
This factor includes changes in lifestyles, preferences and buying behaviour of people,
that directly impact on production process and system of retail companies. In recent time,
consumers prefer to eat health products and demand for organic goods because they are very
concern about health and want to healthy lifestyles (Jilcott Pitts and et.al., 2018). It impacts
negatively on Waitrose firm as they had to pay more attention of supply of its groceries and other
goods that had to be meet with customers requirement.
Technological factor-
This factor relates and cover to changes in current technologies that affect operations and
function of Waitrose positively. Technology advancement always put positive impact on
production & operational functions as well as overall firms within retail sector. By implementing

new machines and technology in marketing activities as well as manufacturing process
organization enhance their productivity and increase profit margin rather than before.
Legal factor-
Employment law affected Waitrose company as they employees a lot of applicants, it
impacts positively because firm pay for overtime efforts and hard work. Organization work
according to employment law, and provide their facilities to its staff members accordingly such
as healthy and safety working environment in which they can feel comfortable.
Environmental factor-
The extreme level concern of consumers and UK government to reduce carbon footprint
is one of the environmental factor that affect UK retail sector and companies operating under it
positively. By reducing carbon footprint and contributing in CSR practices Waitrose and other
firms can sustain for longer within marketplace and it also helps in gaining the attention of
consumers.
Key drivers of change
Desire-
The needs of employees get change according to situation and growth in life, which
considered as key driver of change that management within company must considered in order to
gain benefits in the future business growth.
Consumer behaviour change-
Another driver of change is buying behaviour of customers that changed according to
trends in market, it directly impacts on production system. In order to perform effectively
management should focus on this driver.
CONCLUSION
From above, analysis it has been summarized that different types of factors are available
as discussed above that impact of retail sector and companies, according to which firm had to
make changes and operate in that environment for generating revenue. Furthermore, by taking
the right decision based on situational analysis, company handle affect of drivers of change
effectively.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Jilcott Pitts, S. B and et.al., 2018. One-year follow-up examination of the impact of the North
Carolina healthy food small retailer program on healthy food availability, purchases, and
consumption. International journal of environmental research and public
health. 15(12). p.2681.
Matthews, A., 2017. Brexit impacts on Irish Agri‐food exports to the UK. EuroChoices. 16(2).
pp.26-32.
Meijers, A., Farneti, R. and Meredith, M., 2017, April. Southern Ocean Circumpolar Deep Water
warming: isopycnal mixing vs overturning as drivers of change. In EGU General
Assembly Conference Abstracts (Vol. 19, p. 4323).
Tupa, M. and VOJTOVIČ, S., 2018. IMPACT OF BREXIT ON THE MIGRATION IN THE
UK. Ad Alta: Journal of Interdisciplinary Research. 8(2).