# Are you clued up on the FTSE 100? Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2017-01-25 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: 95% of Brits Confused About Biggest British Companies Meta Description: Discover how many Brits struggle to identify British brands and overestimate the size of top British companies, according to new research by Spread Co. URL: https://financedigest.com/are-you-clued-up-on-the-ftse-100html ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/img1584-1767-1736844241761-compressed.jpg) - **95% of Brits have heard of the five biggest British companies** - **One in five think Tesco is Britain’s biggest company** - **Brits find identifying ‘British’ brands confusing** Brits still struggle to identify homegrown brands and are overestimating the [size of some of our biggest companies](https://www.financedigest.com/multigrain-bread-mix-market-size-share-top-leading-companies-consumption-drivers-trends-forces-analysis-revenue-challenges-and-global-forecast-2029.html "Multigrain Bread Mix Market: Size, Share, Top Leading Companies, Consumption, Drivers, Trends, Forces Analysis, Revenue, Challenges And Global Forecast 2029"), new research reveals. The poll of 1,000 adults, conducted by Spread Co, revealed that 95% of UK adults have heard of the five biggest companies in the FTSE 100, but thought high street names were bigger [players in the market](https://www.financedigest.com/sodium-tetraborate-market-key-players-end-user-demand-and-consumption-by-2030.html "Sodium Tetraborate Market Key Players, End User, Demand and Consumption by 2030") than they actually are. Almost one in five (19%) thought Tesco was the biggest company in Britain even though it only represents 0.84% of the [market share](https://www.financedigest.com/countertop-spray-market-share-by-2028-upcoming-trends-and-analysis.html "Countertop Spray Market Share by 2028: Upcoming Trends and Analysis") compared to HSBC, the actual first place, that represents 5.47%. When asked to name which [companies are in the top](https://www.financedigest.com/immunology-drug-market-growth-by-top-companies-trends-by-types-and-application-forecast-analysis-to-2030.html "Immunology Drug Market Growth by Top Companies, Trends by Types and Application, Forecast Analysis to 2030") ten of the FTSE 100, four businesses were correctly identified. The remaining six companies people thought were the [biggest in Britain](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-binge-on-cheap-food-is-over-biggest-chicken-producer-says.html "Britain’s binge on cheap food is over, biggest chicken producer says") were all in the FTSE 100 but not placed in the top ten. The results also show many members of the public [struggle to identify British](https://www.financedigest.com/struggling-british-pig-industry-calls-for-tesco-to-step-up.html "Struggling British pig industry calls for Tesco to step-up") businesses. Respondents incorrectly thought that many of our store cupboard favourites, such as Tetley Tea (50%), Heinz (27%), HP Sauce (37%) and Branston Pickle (42%), were British when they are actually Indian, American and Japanese respectively. Companies with less British sounding names such as Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Schroders and Antofagasta were also incorrectly identified – less than 10% of the public thought they were British, when they are all UK based. The majority of the UK public (75%) were confident they understood what a PLC was, however many guessed incorrectly about the status of many recognisable companies. Over 60% thought Jet2 Holidays and over a quarter (26%) thought that Tesco are part of wider PLCs when they are PLCs in their own right. Looking at the beauty industry, more people thought Lush was part of a wider PLC (52%) than The Body Shop (39%), when in fact Lush is the brand that is an independent PLC. Shameer Sachdev, Head of [Marketing & Sales](https://www.financedigest.com/synthetic-quartz-market-sales-is-driven-by-increasing-growth-in-manufacturing-and-construction-sectors.html "Synthetic Quartz Market Sales Is Driven By Increasing Growth In Manufacturing And Construction Sectors") at Spread Co, said: “The research shows that people are quite clued up on the UK stock market but are very much influenced by the physical presence of companies when it comes to estimating their size, when in fact most of our biggest businesses would never be found on the High Street. “Similarly, a British-sounding name is enough to convince people they’re [investing their money](https://www.financedigest.com/8-best-passive-investing-ideas-which-can-help-you-make-money-in-2022.html "8 Best Passive Investing Ideas Which Can Help You Make Money In 2022") with a domestic company, when in many cases household brands like Tetley Tea and Branston Pickle are produced by companies based overseas. “It’s easy to think the FTSE 100 and other financial indices as confusing and far removed from our everyday lives but many of these huge companies produce the brands we see on the supermarket shelves.” David Morrison, Senior [Market Strategist at Spread Co says:](https://www.financedigest.com/coffee-bean-grinders-market-is-set-to-witness-a-cagr-of-8-1-8-9-during-2021-2031-says-fmi-analyst.html "Coffee Bean Grinders Market is set to witness a CAGR of 8.1%- 8.9% during 2021-2031, Says FMI Analyst") “I think it’s quite impressive that the UK public were able to identify four out of the FTSE’s top ten. They were certainly bang on with the [oil majors BP and Royal Dutch Shell](https://www.financedigest.com/shell-tightens-restrictions-on-russian-oil-buying.html "Shell tightens restrictions on Russian oil buying").  But it looks like they overestimated the size and influence of the banking sector. No doubt this is due to the [strong high street presence of Barlcays and Lloyds despite branch closures](https://www.financedigest.com/plastic-caps-screw-caps-closures-in-demand.html "Plastic Caps & Closures Witness Strong Sales in Line with Convenience Packaging Trend; Screw Caps & Closures in Demand") as we increasingly do our banking online and via smartphones. No doubt it’s also a surprise to many people that a tobacco company can be so significant.” To find out more about betting on the FTSE100 with Spread Co visit: [https://www.spreadco.com/range-of-markets/](https://www.spreadco.com/range-of-markets/) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---