Healthcare specialists that use pharmaceutical booklet labels on their products could benefit from an apparent upturn in the UK economy.

According to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), gross domestic product did go up during the first quarter of 2011.

However, estimates suggest the economy's expansion during this period was comparable to the rate at which it declined in the previous quarter.

The BCC said this means that economic output between January and March this year was only "marginally higher" than the amount recorded in the third quarter of 2010.

Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies which rely on foreign markets for sales could be affected by a slight drop in export activity throughout the three-month period.

David Kern, chief economist at the BCC, commented: "The international background has become riskier for Britain's exporters, while the domestic austerity plan will intensify pressures on businesses and consumers."

The BCC has already called on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee to delay any interest rate rise until later in the year.

Mr Kern warned that the case for waiting is strengthened by the continuing uncertainty in markets such as Libya, Japan and the eurozone.

Denny Bros Ltd, 05 April 2011