Key findings
- Forty-eight percent of consumer and retail CEOs identify supply chain resilience as the greatest threat to growth, twice the 24 percent cross-sector figure
- Forty-four percent of respondents prioritize investment in supply chain resilience and operational continuity, compared with 25 percent across sectors
- Eighty-four percent of consumer and retail CEOs are confident in their industry’s growth prospects, slightly above the cross-sector average at 81 percent
- 2 in 3 CEOs are reshaping product portfolios in response to health-led consumer shifts
- Seventy-one percent of respondents say AI is a top investment priority, up from 64 percent in 2025, while expectations for immediate returns have moderated
- Fifty-four percent expect AI to move beyond recommendations and play a more active role across the purchasing journey
- Eighty-eight percent of CEOs are focusing on retaining and retraining high-potential talent, up from 71 percent last year
10 November 2026: Supply chain resilience remains the standout threat to growth for global consumer and retail CEOs, as leaders increase investment in the operational, digital and workforce capabilities needed to navigate disruption, according to new KPMG research.
The 2026 KPMG Global Consumer & Retail CEO Outlook finds that 48 percent of consumer and retail CEOs identify supply chain resilience as a threat to growth over the next three years. This is twice the 24 percent average recorded across all sectors. Three years prior (in 2023), only 15 percent of consumer and retail CEOs identified it as a threat. It now remains the highest-ranked threat to growth among the respondents for a second consecutive year, with consumer and retail leaders placing greater weight on the risk than CEOs in any other sector.
This concern is translating into investment. Forty-four percent of consumer and retail CEOs identify supply chain resilience and operational continuity as an investment priority, compared with 25 percent across all sectors. However, supply chain resilience is no longer the sector’s sole standout investment priority. The same proportion are also prioritizing cybersecurity and digital risk resilience, up from 29 percent in 2025, reflecting the need to prepare for disruption across both physical and digital operations.
The focus on resilience comes despite strengthening confidence in the sector. Eighty-four percent of consumer and retail CEOs are confident in their industry’s growth prospects, slightly above the cross-sector average at 81 percent. The proportion who are “very confident” has risen from 26 percent to 37 percent, the highest of any industry surveyed and 14 percentage points above the cross-sector average.
Confidence in CEOs’ own organizations has also increased, rising from 77 percent to 83 percent. At the same time, 82 percent report feeling greater pressure to secure the long-term prosperity of their businesses, up from 76 percent last year.
AI investment shifts toward disciplined execution
AI remains a significant priority for the sector, but the findings indicate that CEOs are becoming more selective about where and how they deploy it. Investment in workflow AI integration has fallen year-on-year and now sits below the cross-sector average (28 percent vs. 32 percent). Yet 71 percent still identify AI as a top investment priority, up from 64 percent in 2025, suggesting a shift towards more targeted investment rather than reduced ambition.
Expectations for returns are also becoming more measured. The proportion expecting returns within the first year has declined from 16 percent to 11 percent, while those anticipating returns within one to three years has increased from 68 percent to 73 percent.
Confidence in implementation is growing as seventy-one percent believe their organizations are moving at the right pace or are ahead of the curve on AI, compared with 66 percent across all sectors. Eighty percent agree that their organizational data is ready for safe AI integration, up from 64 percent in 2025.
CEOs also expect AI to become more influential in consumer decision-making. More than half of the respondents (54 percent) expect AI to move beyond recommendations and play a more active role across the purchasing journey.
Workforce readiness becomes central to capturing AI value
The move toward more disciplined AI execution is prompting significant workforce change as the concern about future workforce capabilities continues to grow. The proportion concerned about bridging the gap between current skills and future workforce requirements has increased from 32 percent to 40 percent, compared with 36 percent across sectors. Nearly three-quarters of consumer and retail CEOs (72 percent) say AI has caused them to rethink employee training and development, compared with 57 percent across sectors.
Organizations are responding through a combination of hiring, retraining and role redesign:
- 82% are hiring talent with AI and technology capabilities, up from 60 percent in 2025
- 83% are redesigning roles and career paths, up from 73 percent
- 88% are focusing on retaining and retraining high-potential employees, up from 71 percent
Consumer-led transformation remains high on the agenda
Alongside resilience and AI, CEOs are responding to significant changes in consumer demand. All consumer and retail CEOs surveyed report taking action in response to health-led shifts in consumer behavior. Sixty-six percent are adjusting their product portfolios or category mix, 57 percent are increasing investment in health, wellness and lifestyle-led propositions, and 55 percent are adapting their brand strategy and positioning.
Improving customer experience is the sector’s leading operational priority for a second consecutive year, selected by 29 percent of respondents, up from 16 percent in 2025 and compared with 13 percent across sectors.
For media queries, please contact:
Dannielle McAllister
Global Media Relations Manage Senior Manager, External Communications
KPMG International
T: +44 7704 675 753
E: dannielle.mcallister@kpmg.co.uk
About the KPMG 2026 Global CEO Outlook Consumer & Retail
The 12th edition of the KPMG Global CEO Outlook was conducted with 1,400 CEOs between August and September 2026. The Consumer & Retail report is based on responses from 120 consumer and retail CEOs.
All consumer and retail respondents oversee companies with annual revenues above US$500 million, and nearly half lead companies with annual revenues exceeding US$10 billion. The overall survey covered 12 markets and 13 industry sectors.
Note, some figures may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Additional KPMG research
KPMG’s 2026 report, Fact, fiction, or future? How GLP-1s are reshaping the global food system, explores how growing adoption of GLP-1 medicines is changing consumer behaviors and consumption patterns, and the implications for food, retail and the wider global food system. Read the full report here.
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