External change speeds digitisation

Overall, the long-term trajectories of retail, consumer goods and wholesale organisations are significantly impacted by digital technology acceleration, which creates pressure to transition from multichannel to omnichannel sales. Data is central to this transformation, as it can provide a better understanding of customers, help optimise operations and deliver consistent offerings and experiences across channels. However, workforce shortages and physical supply chain disruptions are viewed as top constraints to achieving these types of business priorities. At the same time, the importance of environmental sustainability in creating future value for stakeholders is growing in importance.

View key findings from our conversations with retail, consumer goods and wholesale executives in 2022 below, or download the report.

For more insights on macro trends, including social demographics, climate change, deglobalisation, technology acceleration and supply chain reconfiguration, read our summary.

Top trends and priorities

Top macro trends
  1. Technology and digital acceleration, notably rising customer and citizen digital expectations
  2. Changing social demographics, including aging populations and talent shortages
  3. Reconfiguration of supply chains to reduce risk and increase resiliency
Top industry trends
  1. Becoming digital organisations
  2. Recognising omnichannel is the new normal
  3. Digitising and optimising the supply chain
Top business priorities
  1. Improve the customer experience
  2. Improve supply chain agility
  3. Invest in new products and services
Top IT priorities
  1. Improve the customer experience
  2. Drive IT modernisation
  3. Implement agile supply chains

Digital strategy, agile business models and environmental sustainability are in focus

24%
say they are producing results from their digital strategies in 2022 (vs. 22% in 2021)
28%
say their business models are highly agile to address their digitisation needs
68%
feel strongly that environmental sustainability is core to how they will create future value for customers

What digital leaders do to accelerate results

Among the 24% of retail, consumer goods and wholesale executives who report achieving expected results from their digital strategies, some common attributes emerge. The table compares responses to questions from these digital leaders to those from executives whose organisations are still building or launching digital strategies (digital entrants).

Learn more about the attributes of digital leaders.

Common attributes of digital leaders

Digital leaders

Digital entrants
Have highly agile business models 67% 13%
Produce results from their cybersecurity strategy 48% 5%
Are implementing or fully operational with IT priorities to improve the customer experience 83% 33%
Are implementing or fully operational with IT priorities to embrace new IT delivery models 73% 28%
Are implementing or fully operational with IT priorities to implement agile supply chains 63% 13%

Download our 2022 Retail, Consumer Goods & Wholesale report

View past reports