Decision-driven supply chains for consumer and retail

Consumer and retail leaders are managing an increasingly complex mix of cost, demand, and fulfillment pressures. Tariffs, input costs, supplier volatility, geopolitical uncertainty, logistics disruption, shifting consumer behavior, promotion-driven demand, and omnichannel fulfillment expectations are all making service and inventory decisions harder to manage.

According to a survey conducted among consumer and retail respondents, 92 percent expect their operations to reach at least a moderate level of autonomy by 2027. 83 percent say their supply chain operations are completely digitalized, and 73 percent are planning a comprehensive operating model transformation within the next three years.

But modernization is not just a technology ambition. For consumer and retail companies, the test is whether data, tools, talent, and governance can help teams make faster, more confident decisions across pricing, promotions, sourcing, inventory, allocation, fulfillment, service, and customer commitments.

The findings show five connected priorities for leaders:

• Make margin decisions faster: connect pricing, promotions, service, sourcing, inventory, and fulfillment trade-offs.
• Treat resilience as a commercial capability: work across supplier, cyber, geopolitical, and operational risks.
• Scale artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy: improve daily planning, exception management, and execution decisions.
• Redesign the operating model: signal ownership, decision rights, escalation paths, and cross-functional accountability.
• Strengthen talent and capabilities: convert better visibility into coordinated action across demand planning, customer service, logistics, and inventory execution.

Download the report to learn how consumer and retail leaders can turn modernization into daily operating performance.