The UK is now the multicultural capital of the world
The 2011 Census figures states that 13%, or 7.5 million of residents were born outside the U.K, but what not added was much more significant which is that at least 7% of ethnic people who were born in the UK were not counted which makes the overall numbers just over 20%.
The most common non-UK countries of birth for usual residents of England and Wales in 2011 were India, Poland and Pakistan. Poland showed by far the largest percentage increase in the top ten countries of birth, with a nine-fold rise over the last decade and following its accession to the EU in 2004.
London is the most diverse place in the country, with under half — 45.8 percent — of the capital’s 8.2 million residents classifying themselves as “white British.”
England and Wales has become more ethnically diverse with rising numbers of people identifying with minority ethnic groups in 2011.
The second largest religious group were Muslims at 4.8 per cent of the population. Tower Hamlets had the highest proportion of Muslims at 34.5 per cent (over 7 times the England and Wales figure).
But despite the growing number of diverse communities they still face higher levels of unemployment and are under represented in companies both at middle management and board level. The media has failed to reflect this and what is more alarming is that brands continue to overlook this growing demographic and brands spending all of their budget targeting less than 50% of the mainstream population!
Will brands and their agencies realise the potential of targeting an untapped market with a potential spending power in excess of £300 billion pounds to see them out of the economic gloom and into prosperity.
Saad Saraf
CEO
www.thinkethnic.com
