Retail

As consumer demand shifts, retailers prioritise efficiency and cost savings

Retailers are adjusting their inventory strategies due to global uncertainties, such as U.S. tariffs, labour unrest at ports and shifting consumer behaviours. This includes considering whether to continue with an inventory pull-forward strategy or recalibrate import strategies.

Enhanced supply chain visibility is crucial for retailers. Real-time tracking, predictive analytics and collaborative platforms help in making data-driven decisions that balance cost, efficiency and risk.

Consumer demand has moderated in key sectors, such as general merchandise and food and beverage, reducing the urgency for retailers to maintain excess inventory in selected categories.

Read this month’s Top Story for additional commentary. 

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*This information is built on market data from public sources and C.H. Robinson’s information advantage—based on our experience, data and scale. Use these insights to stay informed, make decisions designed to mitigate your risk and avoid disruptions to your supply chain.

To deliver our market updates to our global audiences in the timely manner possible, we rely on machine translations to translate these updates from English.