Since 2020, the continent has seen meaningful investment in logistics infrastructure. The African Development Bank committed , while Africa50 deepened its role in financing trade-enabling infrastructure. Ports have been one of the clearest focal points. Nigeria鈥檚 Lekki Deep Sea Port is emerging as a serious regional node. South Africa鈥檚 Cape Town and Ngqura ports have posted notable improvements in performance after years of decline, while Transnet has clawed back some operational ground through better turnaround times and improved crane productivity.

Throughout Africa, governments have invested in ports, rail and trade corridors, and the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has started to turn the long-discussed idea of regional trade integration into something more tangible. In pockets across the continent, the results are faster cargo movement, stronger port performance, growing intra-African trade, and a more serious push toward localisation in sectors ranging from manufacturing to health.

AfCFTA notably helped push intra-African trade to $220.3 billion in 2024, , following a sharp jump in the number of countries actively trading under the agreement. However, it remains a work in progress instead of a finished shield, with tariff schedules, digital trade protocols, customs harmonisation and non-tariff barriers still being worked through.

Test of resilience

The question now is whether the progress made within the continent鈥檚 supply chains has delivered the resilience to withstand repeated shocks. The Red Sea crisis, now stretching into its third year, has already forced a major restructuring of Asia-Europe-Africa shipping. The near closure of the Strait of Hormuz has layered a second and more acute shock onto already strained global trade flows.

For African economies, the effect is being felt all at once through higher freight costs, longer lead times, elevated fuel prices, fertilizer disruption, and tighter access to trade finance.

Agriculture is especially exposed. A significant share of Africa鈥檚 fertilizer imports comes from Gulf producers, with East and Southern Africa particularly reliant on those flows. Disruption in Hormuz raises shipping costs, and threatens planting cycles, food production, and ultimately food security. Constricted fertilizer supply drives up costs, with the shock moving quickly from ports and tankers into farms, food prices, and household budgets.

Africa鈥檚 trade finance gap creates additional challenges. When lead times become unpredictable, businesses carry more buffer stock. Cost increases for fuel, freight and insurance drives demand for greater working capital. When banks remain cautious and access to formal trade finance is limited, especially for SMEs, resilience becomes something only the largest firms can afford.

This is why the next phase of supply chain resilience in Africa cannot be built only with cranes, roads, and policy frameworks, but with better visibility, greater efficiency, and improved decision-making.

A connected supply chain

Greater digitalisation is one of the most encouraging developments since the pandemic. Digital customs systems, single windows, electronic cargo tracking, and trade portals are reducing friction at the border.

In markets where customs and border processes have been digitised, . Digital trade facilitation has already shown what practical resilience looks like: less paperwork, better visibility, fewer delays, and more predictable movement of goods.

Digital platforms, AI-enabled forecasting, and scenario modelling have become more than technology talking points. In a volatile operating environment, end-to-end visibility is the difference between reacting late and acting early. Companies need a clearer view across suppliers, logistics partners, inventory, transport routes, and cost exposure. They need to test disruption scenarios before they happen, and model the impact of rerouting, delays, fuel spikes, or supplier failure in real time.

This is where embedded AI and better workflow orchestration are starting to matter. The real value is not automation for its own sake, but the ability to guide decisions in real time, coordinate actions across previously disconnected functions, and keep the wider value chain in sync as conditions shift. In practice, that means breaking down long-standing silos between planning, procurement, production, logistics, and finance so that businesses can respond faster, allocate resources more effectively, and maintain service levels under pressure.

In an , supply chain leaders cited advanced analytics and AI as their most important technology investment over the next three years. The top expected benefits of embedding AI into supply chain planning processes were improved decision-making, supplier selection, and inventory optimisation.

For African businesses, governments, and logistics operators, the lesson of 2026 is not that resilience investments have failed, but that more is needed to be done. Over the next five years, the continent鈥檚 supply chain challenges will go beyond simply building greater resilience to connecting what has been built into a system that can withstand a volatile, unpredictable world.

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In South Africa, ongoing challenges with port congestion and underperforming freight-rail systems have added further complexity and cost to supply chain operations. In response, companies are seeking tools and capabilities that reduce uncertainty in their supply chains and enable them to plan and respond more effectively in the face of disruption.

What does 2025 hold for under-fire supply chains? The introduction of powerful AI-powered technologies hold the promise of greater speed, efficiency and automation in supply chains, while greater use of connected technologies may empower business leaders with unprecedented data for improved decision-making.

This year, companies will need to adapt to and manage three key supply chain trends, namely:

Trend 1 – All-in on AI

2025 will see companies take significant strides toward building autonomous, AI-enabled supply chains. The goal: achieving greater efficiency and responsiveness in supply chain operations. As supply chains and associated processes become more complex, AI-enabled capabilities will become essential to help companies address issues as they emerge.

The use of digital twins – a virtual model of physical systems and processes – will become more prevalent, enabling companies to simulate scenarios, analyse performance in real time, and make data-driven decisions to optimise their supply chain operations.

Organisations that leverage AI to become more resilient will also gain an enhanced ability to sense, recognise, and react to disruptions. In fact, by ensuring AI is built-in, relevant and responsible, companies will be able to deliver measurable business outcomes even when disruptions feels like part of the daily routine.

Trend 2 – On the road to resilience

In the year ahead, expect to see greater adoption of anti-fragile supply chain strategies among companies as they navigate growing complexity and strive for greater adaptability. In 2024, extreme weather events significantly disrupted supply chains across the globe, a trend that is set to continue in 2025 thanks to the effects of climate change.

By implementing data-driven technologies such as AI and machine learning, companies can unlock real-time insights needed to identify emerging supply risks and proactively respond to potential disruptions.

In order to maintain operations and remain competitive, companies will need to prioritise robust contingency plans and real-time data visibility to navigate disruption. Expect the focus to shift from reactive crisis management to proactive, agile supply chain strategies that enable companies to anticipate and mitigate disruptions before they occur.

Trend 3 – Striving for sustainability

This year, transparency across supply chains will become an essential element to mitigating risks and reaching sustainability goals. Business leaders will prioritise visibility and transparency to gain real-time insights, allowing them to monitor operations and guard against risky practices.

New regulations will also demand greater insight into end-to-end supply chain processes.

The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which builds on the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, is听, and companies are already preparing this year. While the regulations are needed to drive greater sustainability throughout supply chains, it will require companies to make changes to processes and operations to remain compliant, which may add further complexity to supply chain processes.

Technology solutions can play a vital role by helping companies track their compliance and back up their sustainability claims. Improved visibility over supply chain processes will also help to manage risks and enhance collaboration among supply chain partners.

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, Director of Corporate Project Programme and Portfolio Management, City of Cape Town discusses with SmartProcurement how this maturity is achieved through the transformation of existing processes and empowering people with the necessary tools and technologies, fostering an environment of efficiency and effectiveness.

People: The Foundation of Organisational Maturity in SCM and Contract Management

The journey towards organisational maturity begins with people. Effective supply chain and contract management relies heavily on the engagement and competencies of the individuals involved. The City of Cape Town prioritises the development of its workforce through continuous training and professional development, with a clear focus on enhancing skills related to contract negotiation, compliance, and supplier relationship management. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities ensure that all stakeholders understand their contributions to supply chain and contract success. This emphasis on people includes rigorous training in document and data management, ensuring that processes are managed efficiently and fostering a collaborative environment across the organisation.

Processes: Streamlining for Efficiency and Quality

Streamlining processes is essential for achieving organisational maturity in SCM and contract management. The City of Cape Town has established comprehensive standards, guidelines, and procedures to ensure consistent, efficient, and high-quality performance across all supply chain and contract activities. These processes are designed with stringent checks and balances to minimise risks, enhance compliance, and prevent errors. By standardising supply chain and contract management processes, the City ensures that best practices are followed, leading to improved procurement outcomes, cost control, and contract performance.

Systems and Technology: Enhancing Workflow and Integration

Advanced systems and technology are critical enablers of efficient workflows in supply chain and contract management. The City utilises sophisticated management tools like 麻豆原创 PPM and CMS, which help enforce process compliance, automate routine tasks, and integrate various functions, including procurement, contract administration, finance, and data analytics. These technologies provide a robust framework that supports effective contract lifecycle management, supplier performance tracking, and real-time data analysis, thereby ensuring that SCM activities are aligned with the City鈥檚 strategic goals.

Data: The Core of Strategic Decision-Making

Data management is the backbone of informed decision-making in SCM and contract management. The City of Cape Town ensures that data is accurate, complete, and aligned with relevant standards, enabling predictive analysis, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement. By leveraging data analytics, the City gains valuable insights into supply chain trends, contract compliance, and performance metrics, which inform strategic decisions and resource allocation. Data-driven decision-making ensures that the supply chain and contract management functions are optimised to support the City鈥檚 broader strategic objectives.

The City of Cape Town鈥檚 approach to achieving organisational maturity in supply chain and contract management is comprehensive and interconnected, focused on building a cohesive, efficient, and effective environment. This strategy supports the City鈥檚 commitment to excellence in service delivery and its overarching strategic goals.

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Who knew that too many lemons could sour the supply chain so quickly? More lemon doesn鈥檛 seem as problematic as a lemon shortage, does it? However, the situation serves as a reminder that an abundance of products can present just as many challenges as a shortage.

The bitter taste of waste

When life gives you lemons or any other produce, it’s usually a good thing – unless you’re a farmer facing a surplus of lemons that nobody wants. Because the overproduction has led to a mismatch with consumer demand. With the surplus in production, farmers are left with an excess of products that are not being sold, which leads to prices dropping faster than a lemon falling off a tree.

According to the Spanish agricultural union COAG, around 400,000 tons – which is about 27% of the planned production- of lemons cannot be sold and will go to waste, and loss is expected to exceed 120 million euros ($129 million).

As lemon prices do not cover production costs, it results in diminished profits and potential financial strain in the main cultivation areas, which even leads farmers to abandon farms and the uprooting of trees.

This has already raised听听about environmental impact as valuable resources such as water, labor, and land are wasted. Additionally, the situation highlights the need for more sustainable practices in agriculture, such as crop diversification, efficient water usage, and responsible waste management.

The food and beverage industry may find themselves with excess inventory that could go to waste if not used in a timely manner. Similarly, the cosmetic and pharmaceutical sectors incorporate lemons in their products for their positive attributes, potentially impacting their sustainable production and risking harm to their companies’ sustainability objectives or brand reputation in the eyes of consumers.

The bad taste of logistics costs

The surplus in lemon production may kickstart the inventory and transportation challenges. The excessive products take up the valuable warehouse space where more sellable stock could have been stored. This may affect the transportation and storage costs, as distributors are forced to find creative solutions to accommodate the overflow of lemons. This could also lead the lemons to expire and lose their freshness, which increases waste, inflates costs, and decreases the profitability for producers.

Squeezing fresh solutions

To avoid being caught off guard by potential disruptions such as overproduction or waste, supply chains must be well managed and carefully planned, and visibility is crucial in achieving this.

On a recent episode of听, Koray K枚se from Everstream emphasized the significance of visibility as the cornerstone of effective supply chain management.

鈥樷�楨verything starts with visibility,鈥� said K枚se. 鈥淭hat’s the foundation of knowing and then turning that knowledge into an agile operation that can react quickly to incidents that are comprehensively reported in detail, where you can analyze, specifically, the prioritization of that incident in your value chain.鈥�

Modern supply chain requires modern technologies to help turn risks into opportunities. That is where听听comes into a play to help optimize your risk-resilient and sustainable supply chain.

Richard Howells, VP of Thought Leadership at 麻豆原创’s ERP, Finance, and Supply Chain Solutions, stresses the significance of visibility in a recent听听on the role of听.

“Data visualization and modeling and intelligent summarization came in joint second to help supply chains and operations make sense of data quickly and in a people-intuitive way,” said Howells.

Employing such supply chain planning tools, such as听听补苍诲听听systems, can greatly benefit farmers, wholesalers, and retailers and help in accurately predicting demand and adjusting production accordingly. By utilizing these tools, stakeholders can ensure a more sustainable and risk resilient supply chains for their production processes.

By reducing waste and environmental impact, companies can improve their sustainability efforts and maintain a positive brand reputation. This not only leads to cost savings and improved operational efficiency but also addresses excess inventory in a sustainable and responsible manner.

By acknowledging the necessary tools for the supply chains and implementing the right tools to work together to find innovative solutions that promote efficiency, reduce waste, and support sustainable food system, we can mitigate the negative impacts of overproduction and waste and ensure more resilient and sustainable future for the future generations.

鈥痶o learn more about the importance of AI in Supply Chain.

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1. What are these technology gaps?

Bursts of innovation in the supply chain enabled companies to streamline routine processes, improve system capabilities and boost analytics. These gains were often followed by a lull, and that is why technology gaps occurred.

Advances in supply chain technology have been welcome and valuable, but they have not been transformative. True digital innovation has taken time and it is only more recently that we have seen the results accrue and come together to create transformative new solutions. These are enabling companies to make far greater improvements to the supply chain.

2. Where in the supply chain do they exist?

In our experience, far too many South African SMBs continue to be unable to fully leverage the benefits of digital supply chain management because of inadequate access to the internet and digital infrastructure, particularly in rural areas; lack of funding; limited access to effective solutions; or a lack of internal technological expertise. Limited government support for digital innovation and a lack of investment in research and development further exacerbate the technology gap.

Without sufficient visibility across the extended supply network, companies are unable to see their risks. They don鈥檛 have the systems to understand the status of their inventory, to project stock shortage of direct materials and optimise production, or to project stock shortages of finished goods to optimise customer allocation. They also lack the logistics flexibility they need networks to ensure the profitable movement of goods.

Right now, supply chain leaders would be wise to quickly change how they do things if they want to overcome the challenges that arise from lack of visibility, collaboration, and coordination. The need for more automation and information is an opportunity for manufacturers.

3. How are they impacting the implementation of a truly digital supply chain?

By adopting digital tech and accelerating the automation of business processes, companies can gain a vital edge in a tough market. The pandemic showed how many businesses are vulnerable to global shocks through their supply chain relationships. It exposed weaknesses like long lead times, lack of visibility that leads to a higher risk of disruption, and the dangers of lack of diversification that comes from excessive reliance on one location or supplier. Technologies such as 麻豆原创 Business One are available to improve visibility across the end-to-end supply chain and support greater supply chain agility and resilience. By adopting digital tech and accelerating the automation of business processes, companies can gain a vital edge in a tough market.

Digital supply networks like these are being built and designed to anticipate disruptions and reconfigure themselves appropriately to lessen the impact of events. They will enable the digital supply networks of the future, regardless of industry sector.

4. Can these gaps be filled (and by what technology)?

Seidor Africa, which represents 麻豆原创 Business One in South Africa, can enable companies to build a more productive and data-led business.

The technology closes the identified gaps in three key ways:

• Businesses gain access to the real-time, reliable information they require to align components such as stock levels (in-stock and on order) with customer orders (current & back-order) and accurate delivery schedules.
• Businesses move from a reactive, back-capture methodology to continuous manufacturing processes where material consumption, stage updates and quality control data is entered real-time on the production floor to aid accurate stock management, replenishment, and efficient order fulfilment. Continuous manufacturing and electronic tracking are also key to identify any potential inefficiencies in certain production lines or phases of production.
• Providing sales reps with the ability to view pricing, stock availability and place orders in real time from their mobile phone or tablet while in the field or with a customer, through 麻豆原创 B1 Mobile Sales application integrated to 麻豆原创 Business One. Having these orders added to the manufacturing and subsequent delivery cycle automatically, provides an invaluable advantage for businesses in the supply chain industry.

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Chekkit was formed at the Meltwater Entrepreneurial听听of Technology (MEST) in Accra, Ghana back in 2018. Since then, it has built a platform that tracks product movement and the parties involved in the transfer of products from warehouse to distributor, and on to the final consumer. Using tamper-proof unique ID labels in the form of QR codes or numeric codes, Chekkit can provide end-to-end serialisation and traceability for products, making it a powerful tool for combatting counterfeiting.

So far, the startup has helped secure over 50 million pharmaceutical and consumer goods products, and its growth is set to continue after Nigeria鈥檚 National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced that pharmaceutical products would be mandated to implement end-to-end serialisation and traceability from the end of 2024.

To take advantage of this opportunity to scale, Chekkit has raised an undisclosed round of funding from Adaverse, a Cardano ecosystem accelerator, as well as existing investors like RTA, HoaQ, Launch Africa Ventures, and Blockchain Founders Fund. This funding will help Chekkit onboard more manufacturers across Nigeria and other regions in Africa, while also expanding to new markets in India, the UK, and the Middle East.

In addition to this, Chekkit has partnered with 麻豆原创, enabling pharmaceutical brands that already use 麻豆原创鈥檚 Advanced Track and Trace Platform to collect and analyze last-mile patient data. The company has also integrated the GS1 global standards system, making its serialization software regulatory compliant in over 100 countries globally.

鈥淲e are currently exploring opportunities to optimize and strengthen supply chains for other African and Middle Eastern regions through partnerships with major pharmaceutical donors, manufacturers, governments, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),鈥� said Dare Odumade, Chekkit鈥檚 CEO. 鈥淲e are focusing a side of the business on fixing the public pharmaceutical supply chains of these low to middle-income earning countries.鈥�

Vincent Li, founding partner at Adaverse, is excited about the potential of Chekkit鈥檚 solution. 鈥淩ather than just another anti-counterfeiting solution, Chekkit aims to repair the prevailing rift in consumer-manufacturer trust with the blockchain-secured channel, prioritizing consumer insights,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e see the potential to transform the supply chain industry and disrupt the DataFi market and we鈥檙e excited to support the scaling of Chekkit鈥檚 infrastructure.鈥�

With its innovative solution and strong partnerships, Chekkit is set to make a significant impact on the fight against counterfeiting and improve the safety and听听of products for consumers around the world.

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The oil and gas industry operates through a global supply chain that includes domestic and international transport, trading, shipping, ordering, and inventory visibility and control.

Last week, the government created a disruption in the entire oil and gas supply chain when it instantly moved from the Open Tender System (OTS) to a purchase plan based on Government-to-Government tendering.

Kenya selected Saudi Arabia Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and the Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) to supply the country with petroleum products on credit for nine months, with an extended credit period of six months.

Experts in the oil and gas supply chain have warned that the sudden shift from OTS to Government to Government is bound to be disruptive for local companies, and for them to survive the new tendering system, they have to invest in technology, more so Systems Applications and Products in data processing (麻豆原创).

According to Martin Waireri, the Managing Director at Goldvein Solutions, a Kenyan company dealing in 麻豆原创, local oil marketers have to now up their game since government to government agreements will mean a change in how听, shipped meaning that the overall cost will also now oscillate to a delicate balance.

They must quickly align with this sudden shift through their 麻豆原创 systems. Kenyan oil and gas companies are unique in how they work. Without the application of the latest technology, especially 麻豆原创, it would be impossible to have flawless import of oil from the desert wells of a county like Saudi Arabia to the Kenyan consumer.

Oil must be tracked from the day it is pumped into well ships, onwards to the day it is sucked into the Kipevu Oil Terminal, to being transported by Kenya Pipeline Company’s (KPC) labyrinth of pipelines to inland depots.

Mr Waireri said that oil and gas companies must be careful in their application of 麻豆原创 for this import process to be flawless.

鈥淎t Goldvein solutions, we have come up with the 鈥樎槎乖� business 1鈥�, a locally customized 麻豆原创 system for oil companies. Even as oil companies adopt 麻豆原创, they have to adopt it at a favourable cost. Our solution is the time used to implement 麻豆原创 by an oil company is reduced, which as a direct impact on the cost,鈥� said Waireri.

鈥淭hrough collaborations with the Cloud, we eradicate the need for a company to invest in expensive IT infrastructure such as servers 鈥� the physical hardware, the operating system and the human resource to operate the server. All this is a cost eliminated by Cloud. We have been able to partner with Microsoft on this. 听It is a solution that oil and companies need as they cut costs while embracing the government-to-government agreement.鈥�

Chris Mathenge, the Goldvein Sales Executive, also emphasized the urgency for oil companies to adopt 麻豆原创.

鈥淭o be cost-effective, companies have to adopt 麻豆原创. Locally we push 麻豆原创 not only to oil and gas companies but also to companies in manufacturing, construction and even distribution and wholesale. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) too have to adopt 麻豆原创,鈥� he said.

Antony Wamae, an 麻豆原创 Consultant and tech lead said 麻豆原创 will give businesses especially those in the oil and gas industry great visibility.

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Blood transfusions are commonly used to provide blood or blood components to a patient who has either lost blood due to an accident or suffer from a medical condition that affects their blood.

Typically, blood is donated anonymously and then stored by hospitals or blood banks until needed. Due to the critical nature of the procedure, donated blood must be collected, stored, categorised, and transported using extremely high levels of safety and care.

Donors must be carefully screened for a variety of medical conditions and lifestyle aspects to ensure the blood is free of potential risks to the patient. Blood is tested according to national guidelines and stored according to blood type.

It is estimated that one in ten people entering hospital need some kind of blood transfusion as part of their treatment.

Data, traceability vital to safe transfusions

The key to successful, lifesaving blood transfusions is accurate documentation to ensure consistency and avoid any unnecessary risk. Due to the sensitive nature of blood, the way it is transported and stored is equally important, especially when the blood supply chain network covers a large geographic area where donated blood must travel thousands of kilometers.

Ultimately, hospitals and clinics seek the ability to track the journey from vein to vein in real time with accurate data and while maintaining the integrity of the value chain.

Here, blockchain technology holds huge potential. Blockchain encodes data in a secure and transparent way that can add visibility and security to the blood transfusion value chain. Blockchain could be a more effective way of storing the precise records that allow medical professionals to use donated blood with confidence during life-saving and other medical procedures.

Using blockchain, medical facilities can register vital data about every step in the blood transfusion value chain, from donation to testing to transport, storage and ultimately its use in a medical procedure.

Due to strict requirements for how blood is stored, technologies such as IoT can also play an important supporting role by tracking the temperature at which the blood is stored and recording that to the blockchain. As blood travels through the value chain, the data stored to the blockchain creates an audit trail that links the entire value chain from donor to recipient.

Advances expected from emerging tech

Other emerging technologies hold promise for greater efficiency and transparency in the blood transfusion value chain. Augmented reality could solve one of the key issues with blood donations by helping medical professionals find the vein more consistently and without the trial-and-error that most donors experience.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence also holds huge promise for driving improvements in the blood transfusion value chain, especially since so much data is already created and stored to ensure transfusions are safe and effective.

used machine learning to optimise the time between blood donation intervals to ensure donors don’t experience adverse outcomes. Using the model, the researchers could estimate the risk of adverse outcomes and how such risks may change with longer or shorter intervals. This data could then inform how often the donors could donate blood without suffering iron deficiency or other complications.

So-called digital footprinting using AI and machine learning could also help reduce errors when doctors order blood samples. Using RFID integrated to an AI platform, doctors could improve specimen identification and reduce specimen labelling errors while also ensuring accurate transport tracking.

Technology platforms unlock new capabilities

New advances in Laboratory Information Management Systems have also unlocked access to unprecedented levels of visibility and control over lab data and other associated processes. A Laboratory Information Management System is used to manage samples, lab users, instruments and other lab functions, as well as back-office operations such as invoicing.

For example, the 麻豆原创 Quality Management helps businesses implement and run quality control processes, and is designed to prevent defects, enable continuous process improvement, and establish sustained quality control programs. Global pharmaceutical companies use 麻豆原创 Quality Management as a primary Laboratory Information Management System to drive supply chain processes, maintain high levels of quality control during production processes, and support research and development.

When matched to a business transformation platform that enables the seamless integration of new technologies, there is virtually no limit to the powerful capabilities that laboratories can unlock. With an intelligent core in place and a quality management system to maintain the highest information standards, laboratories and other stakeholders can protect the integrity of the life-saving blood transfusion supply chain while enabling greater innovation.

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There are so many questions. Are we ready to handle the wave of shoppers? Will there even be a wave of shoppers? Can we react quickly if market conditions change?

Sometimes it would be nice to have a crystal ball.

But the challenges procurement and supply chain professionals face are serious. The decisions you make in navigating these challenges will directly affect your business. Of course, timely and accurate decision-making requires insight that is not magic, like a crystal ball. It requires access to data, visibility into supply chains, and collaboration between trading partners.

Fortunately, by digitalizing procurement processes and engaging with trading partners via business networks, it is possible to gain the visibility and business insights required to plan for events like the holiday shopping season and be ready when disruptions occur.

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Of course, there is also the old school way to gain market insight: ask consumers. As the holiday shopping season approaches, we have done just that. We wanted to know how inflation is affecting consumer purchasing habits, what consumers are expecting in terms of a recession, and how their spending habits could change in the coming year. So we asked 1,000 U.S.-based consumers across a wide range of age groups. Here is what we found.

Inflation Is Forcing Many to Adjust Their Holiday Buying Habits

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently announced . Inflation continues to dog our economy and, as a result, 65% of the consumers in our survey said they plan to cut their holiday budgets. Gen Z (69%) and Millennials (76%) were especially emphatic about spending less.

Here are some other insights.

• Price is key. Consumers also say they will be looking closely at the price of goods. In fact, 45% say it is the top factor they will weigh in purchasing decisions. A whopping 73% included price in their top three factors.
• How they will shop. In an interesting development, 54% of consumers surveyed reported they will change where they shop — of those, 39% say inflation is causing them to shop more online; surprisingly only 15% said they will seek bargains in the stores.
• Where they will cut back. A majority of consumers plan to cut their holiday budget — but where? It turns out that that 61% will be dining out less, and 51% will be spending less on experiences and travel. Many consumers said they also expect to reduce spending on fashion and beauty (46%) and electronics (37%).
• Many consumers face difficult choices. Holiday buying aside, the survey reminds us that many households are forced to make tough spending decisions. Although 16% of the consumers surveyed told us they are not reducing spending amid inflation, it is telling that 22% are being forced to cut spending on essential items.

Consumers Expect a Recession, Further Curbing Their Willingness to Spend

Looking beyond the holidays and into next year, consumers do not seem optimistic. Three quarters of those surveyed said they believe a recession is coming within the next year. And if that happens, 59% expect to decrease their spending.

One way they will do this is by shopping deals rather than staying loyal to brands. Twenty-eight percent said they plan to switch brands if prices increase. Overall, only 19% say they will stay loyal to the brands they prefer. Brand loyalty for Baby Boomers is almost non-existent: only 10% say they plan to stay loyal to the brands they normally prefer.

Concern about Shortages Is Only Increasing

A similar conducted by 麻豆原创 in February 2021 — with the pandemic entering its second year — showed that concerns about supply chain disruptions and product shortages were weighing on consumers.

However, our most recent survey indicates that consumers are now even more apprehensive than they were 18 months ago. Food leads the list with 77% of respondents saying they were concerned about shortages in the coming year. Gen X and Baby Boomers were especially concerned, at 83% and 85% respectively. By comparison, in February 2021 only 48% noted food shortages as a concern.

Our most recent survey also highlighted increasing concern over shortages of hygienic or personal care products such as toilet paper (49%, up from 44% in 2021) and prescriptions (36%, up from 20% in 2021).

Is Digitalization the New Crystal Ball?

This holiday shopping season, if procurement and supply chain leaders had that crystal ball that could help them navigate the uncertainty, they would gladly use it. Unfortunately, we have not perfected that technology. But there is good news for retailers, manufacturers, distributors, and most other industries. 麻豆原创 offers technology solutions that provide unmatched visibility, efficiency, and flexibility to deal with rapidly changing business requirements — including those occurring during the holidays.

As requirements for products and materials change, make it possible to digitalize procurement processes, putting transaction data in one place so you can act efficiently, accurately, and quickly. Likewise, by sharing data with suppliers within , you can collaborate on forecasts and gain foresight into what is happening within your supply chain.

In fact, when I compare 麻豆原创鈥檚 powerful spend management and business network solutions to a crystal ball, I come to one conclusion: crystal balls are overrated.

Etosha Thurman is chief marketing and solutions officer for Intelligent Spend and Business Network at 麻豆原创.

This article first appeared on the 麻豆原创 News Center.

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