Consumer markets

We work with over 900 consumer markets businesses in the UK, from small and medium enterprises to large international organisations across retail, hospitality & leisure, food and drink and consumer goods.

From our research and conversations with our clients, we have identified the below as the top trends for the consumer market sector for 2025:

• Artificial Intelligence continues to revolutionise the consumer experience by enabling highly personalised interactions.
• Sustainability remains a critical focus, as consumers increasingly demand eco-friendly products and ethical practices.
• The metaverse is expanding, offering immersive virtual environments where consumers can interact with brands and products. This trend opens new avenues for marketing, virtual shopping experiences, and brand engagement, making it a key area for innovation.
• The sharing economy is evolving with more innovative and efficient ways for consumers to share resources and services. This trend promotes sustainability and cost-effectiveness, appealing to a broad range of consumers.
• Building communities and fostering connections are becoming increasingly important. Brands that create platforms for consumer interaction, both online and offline, can build stronger relationships and enhance customer loyalty.
• Evolution of Payment Methods, with new payment systems, including digital wallets and cryptocurrencies, becoming mainstream.
• Leveraging data and analytics is crucial for understanding consumer behaviour and improving customer experiences. Brands that effectively utilise data can make informed decisions, personalise offerings, and stay ahead of market trends.
• As Gen Z becomes a dominant consumer group, their preferences for authenticity, transparency, and social responsibility are shaping market trends.
• Increasing regulatory complexity will impact the sector with the potential to increase the business cost base and impact profitability.

There are a number of risks that will affect consumer market businesses but the ones we see most often, which also directly affect supply-chains are:

• Geopolitics: To navigate an uncertain geopolitical climate effectively, it is essential to maintain up to date and well-categorised supplier and product information.
• Financial failure of key suppliers: To enhance oversight of critical suppliers, we recommend incorporating forecasted financial results into regular key supplier meetings.
• Data security: To mitigate the risks arising from data sharing, organisations should conduct thorough cybersecurity due diligence on suppliers who will handle their data. This includes assessing the security measures of these platforms and regularly monitoring the security practices of their vendors to ensure ongoing protection against potential breaches.

We encourage and help consumer market businesses to identify their key risk triggers and make sure if those are crossed, then they are being reported to the right people. This should align to your risk appetite, which will be different for each organisation. To set this, think about what is critical to you and your customers, and what would be enough of a red flag to spur you into action.

Driven by growing regulatory scrutiny and heightened stakeholder expectations, ESG and sustainability goals have become crucial for organisations in the consumer sector to understand.

We help our clients embark on or continue their sustainability journeys. We assemble a team of specialised experts dedicated to your requirements, offering solutions aligned with your goals. Whether it involves reporting, supply chain awareness, decarbonisation, climate change risk assessments or human rights, our expertise ensures the delivery of sustainable solutions that support companies for the long term.

Treat cybersecurity as a core business priority – not just an IT issue. It should be embedded into a business’s strategic planning at the highest level.

Being well prepared is not just good practice; it’s a competitive advantage, and CEOs who take a proactive, strategic approach to cybersecurity and invest in it will be better positioned in the long term.