Tales from the Front Lines
Article from MHI Solutions Magazine
The consumer goods sector has been on the front lines of the changing supply chain landscape in recent years. In particular, the growth of e-commerce during the pandemic continues to have a transformative impact on the category. Not only do more consumers buy goods online now—both from retailers and directly from manufacturers—but the consumer goods category is central to the shift in consumer demand that emphasizes rapid deliveries of orders, putting sharp pressure on the supply chain.
“When people order something now, they want it tomorrow,” said Tony Calabrese, chief technology officer with RBW Logistics.
An October 2023 update on “the state of the U.S. consumer” from McKinsey showed that consumer optimism had grown two-percentage points since April, reflecting a “tempered optimism” that was leading to small increases in consumer spending over 2022. More consumers expressed an intent to splurge as a result of improved optimism, much of it related to flattening inflation. The consumer products categories where they most planned to splurge included groceries (35% of respondents), apparel (31%), beauty and personal care (30%) and electronics (21%)…
Read the full article in MHI Solutions Magazine
