Consumer markets

Equipping consumer-facing companies with leading-edge knowledge and insights to drive strategic growth and enhance the customer experience — while helping to reinvent businesses, navigate complexity and maintain compliance in a changing world.

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Focused on your customers, committed to your results

From bold ideas to breakthrough results, PwC’s Consumer Markets practice helps businesses adapt to evolving consumer demands through data-driven strategies. We empower companies — from innovative startups to global retail and food giants — to achieve meaningful, measurable business outcomes.

Our dedicated global team delivers tailored strategies in consulting, assurance and tax. Whether you’re exploring AI-powered solutions, streamlining operations, undertaking M&A or technology transformation across sectors like retail, CPG, hospitality, travel or restaurants, we provide the expertise to help you adapt, innovate and succeed — no matter what the future holds.

Tap into our experience to accelerate digital value, craft next-gen consumer experiences and achieve sustainable growth. Together, we’ll turn today’s challenges into opportunities and help your business thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Next in consumer markets 2025

As companies shift from testing AI to integrating it across their operations, the transformation is substantial. AI is now foundational, altering how businesses operate and compete. Over two-thirds of consumer markets industry leaders (67%) say the ability to leverage generative AI is boosting their cloud budget plans. Companies that deeply embed AI are twice as likely to lead in innovation, creating new products and services. These pioneers are setting the pace, using AI strategically to transform their industries and secure a competitive edge.

Explore the 2025 trends

Insights by sector

Consumer packaged goods

Meet consumer demand with confidence: Position your CPG brand for lasting growth

As a leader in the CPG sector, you face dynamic market conditions and evolving consumer demands. Many CPGs are increasing growth through innovation, boosting investments by over 50% and reducing time to market by approximately 30%. However, merely raising budgets may not suffice. It’s crucial to reshape your pipeline to tackle affordability, offer clear value propositions against private labels and continue differentiating premium brands for higher-income consumers.

To adapt for long-term viability, implementing ERP transformations can streamline operations, enhancing efficiency and scalability. Strategic initiatives like mergers, acquisitions and partnerships help capture value and boost competitiveness, consolidating strengths and tapping into new markets.

Reinventing business models with strategies such as commercial value transformation, portfolio optimization and advanced go-to-market solutions — including pricing and fulfillment — helps sustain growth and relevance. At PwC, our deep industry knowledge and strategic insights support your CPG company in building resilience and overcoming future challenges.

Capitalize on CPG opportunities >

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Retail

Master digital innovation: Transform customer experiences in retail

Reimagining retail begins with focusing on the customer — with insight into their behavior and spending shift patterns. At PwC, we empower you to enhance these insights with AI-driven personalization, crafting compelling shopping experiences that captivate today’s consumers.

Revamping your in-store technology is crucial as customers blend their online and in-store shopping habits. With 46% of consumers valuing the ability to see and touch products, and 40% appreciating the immediacy of in-store purchases, physical locations remain key to product discovery and purchasing decisions. Rethinking in-store experiences and workforce strategies is vital to align with these behaviors, boost customer satisfaction and keep operations agile in response to shifting market dynamics.

Take action to refine your margins through more advanced pricing strategies using AI and enhanced supply chain efficiency — key steps to safeguarding your competitive edge. Additionally, investing in cloud technology and ERP upgrades can help establish the infrastructure needed for enhanced operational planning and seamless integration across systems.

Put these strategies to work to help your retail business adapt swiftly and stay competitive. 

Embrace the future of retail >

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Hospitality and leisure

Deliver memorable guest experiences while staying resilient

Leading in hospitality means constantly evolving with consumer preferences and consistently elevating the guest experience. Integrating AI and digital contact solutions (like chatbots and digital concierge services) into your operations is key as guests increasingly demand personalized and seamless interactions. This technology helps customize services and improve operational efficiency, enabling you to better predict and meet guest needs.

Amid economic uncertainties, your strategic agility and foresight are important. Focusing on efficient resource management and innovative guest offerings helps your business maintain stability and grow, even with market fluctuations.

Workforce trends are also reshaping the industry. The sector employs about 17 million people, over 10% of the American workforce. Investing in fulfilling work environments and providing growth opportunities is important for attracting and retaining top talent. Transforming back-office operations also helps support your staff in their roles, streamlining tasks that are crucial for day-to-day operations.

For those managing franchise operations, implementing streamlined billing processes is essential. They promote consistency and transparency across locations, simplifying operations and enhancing franchisee satisfaction.

Embrace these strategies to keep your hospitality business agile, innovative and competitive in today’s evolving market.

Upgrade your hospitality operations >

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Travel, transportation and logistics

Chart your course: Streamline and innovate in global transport

Airlines: You are at the forefront of tackling fluctuating fuel costs and stringent regulatory demands by leveraging data analytics and sustainable aviation fuels. This proactive approach helps enhance customer experiences and operational efficiency and can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. In the era of AI, embracing advanced technology to streamline operations and run a smarter operation is imperative for maintaining a competitive edge as customer expectations for personalized travel continue to rise.

Courier and delivery services: You are navigating the complexities of last-mile delivery amid escalating consumer expectations. Innovations like route optimization and real-time tracking are fundamental to managing costs effectively and enhancing service delivery within the e-commerce boom. Your strategic focus on these areas is crucial for sustaining service excellence and profitability.

Rail operators: You face the dual challenges of aging infrastructure and intense intermodal competition. Investing in ecosystems and modernizing your infrastructure are essential steps to enhance intermodal transport solutions and leverage public-private partnerships. These investments are key to improving efficiency and expanding your market share in a rapidly evolving transportation landscape.

Travel and tourism: You are innovating and competing fiercely to secure customer relationships. There’s a growing need to offer personalized experiences and adopt eco-friendly tourism practices. Supported by targeted digital marketing strategies, these initiatives are essential to attract and retain tourists and help your sector thrive in the new normal.

Trucking: You are contending with driver shortages and high fuel costs, both of which critically impact profitability. The industry is experiencing significant fragmentation and consolidation, requiring strategic moves like investing in autonomous vehicles and enhancing supply chain visibility. Unified digital platforms are essential for boosting intermodal coordination and achieving operational efficiency.

Vehicle rental: You are focused on digital transformation to elevate operational efficiency and customer experiences. Optimizing fleet utilization and exploring emerging markets are key strategies. Additionally, preparing for the integration of autonomous vehicles will position your company as a leader in the evolving automotive rental landscape.

PwC can help you navigate regulations, shifting markets and data-driven decisions to confidently choose your next steps in the travel, transportation and logistics sector.

Elevate your operations and build effective ecosystems >

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Restaurants, wholesale and agriculture 

Cultivate lasting growth: Reinvent your business and meet the future

Restaurants: As cost pressures impact consumer traffic and food prices, restaurant competition continues to evolve. GLP-1 weight loss drug users, for example, report an 11% reduction in food purchases, especially in indulgent categories like high-calorie snacks and alcohol, indicating a shift in consumer eating habits.

This change presents an opportunity for restaurants to adjust their menus to include more low-calorie, nutrient-rich options — in line with the Trump administration’s push for improved food standards. Partnering with health organizations to certify these healthy choices could further attract health-conscious diners. Beyond the menu, value creation opportunities span the entire enterprise, from enhancing operational efficiency to boosting customer engagement through advanced technology.

  • Enterprise: Drive growth by optimizing your business portfolio, scaling operations and expanding into new regional or global markets.

  • Restaurant profitability and ROI: Rethink your menu offerings, streamline operations, optimize costs of goods sold (COGS) and refine construction methodologies to improve returns.

  • Customer: Use advanced technology (like AI) to improve the customer experience, strengthen brand loyalty and differentiate your brand.

  • Tech: Cut labor and operational costs, accelerate service delivery and efficiently scale your technology deployment.

Wholesale: The wholesale food sector demands strategic focus on growth, cost management and navigating complex market dynamics. Consider expansion through acquisitions or streamlining through divestitures. Strategic investments in technology are crucial for refining pricing strategies and optimizing logistics, keeping your business competitive.

Agriculture: Your agriculture business faces the dual challenges of meeting regulatory demands and consumer expectations. Enhancing manufacturing and supply chain efficiency, driving innovation and improving traceability and compliance is critical for success. It’s essential to maintain high quality and adhere to ESG standards, while strategic partnerships can optimize your product offerings for specific markets.

At PwC, we use our industry knowledge and strategic insights to collaborate with businesses like yours. We’re dedicated to helping you develop effective strategies and build capabilities to achieve sustained growth and navigate future challenges with confidence.

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Buyer spotlight

CEO

The pace of change in consumer markets demands bold leadership. With evolving customer expectations, heightened operational pressures and the need for sustainable practices, CEOs are navigating a complex landscape. From advancing workforce strategies to driving digital transformation, your focus is on achieving measurable outcomes that balance profitability with purpose. Yet just 38% of CEOs say their company pursues ambitious goals and risk-taking to seize growth opportunities.

As CEO, your challenge is leading with agility while embedding resilience into your organization’s fabric. Whether optimizing supply chains, refining ESG commitments or anticipating future disruptions, success lies in uniting innovation with strategic foresight to create value for stakeholders.

What’s next? Strengthen your market position by prioritizing proactive strategies, fostering deeper cross-functional collaboration and embedding trust in every decision. PwC stands ready to support your transformation journey — empowering you to inspire, adapt and thrive.

Learn more

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CFO/Controller/Tax

As market dynamics and consumer expectations shift, finance leaders face challenges like rising costs, regulatory complexity and the need to adapt quickly. With 84% of CFOs delaying at least one investment decision, aligning finance, operations and technology is critical for building resilience and unlocking growth potential.

For CFOs, chief accounting officers, controllers and tax leads, this means leveraging data-driven insights to sharpen financial planning, refine pricing strategies and protect profitability. With new challenges on the horizon — including evolving regulatory and reporting requirements and increased focus on value creation — finance leaders are finding opportunities to streamline processes and foster innovation.

Are you prepared for the future of finance? By driving collaboration and agility, you’re not just navigating today’s challenges — you’re building a foundation for long-term growth and measurable impact.

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Chief Technology/Information Officer

As a CIO or CTO in consumer markets, your concern now is on more than just adopting new technologies. It’s about creating a strong foundation to meet changing consumer expectations and keep your organization ahead of the curve. Building on a scalable, cloud-first infrastructure can help you stay agile and ready for what’s next.

By connecting systems and data across your business, you can improve how decisions are made, streamline operations and provide better experiences for customers. While AI offers immense potential, over 68% of tech leaders highlight legal and reputational risks as moderate or serious concerns. Handling these challenges requires a thoughtful approach to innovation and risk management.

It’s not just about technology. It’s about how technology supports your larger goals, from growth to innovation. When you prioritize collaboration and break down silos, you position your organization to succeed. Your leadership in transforming how your company works and delivers value will help define the future of consumer markets — and set your organization apart.

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COO

Amid economic pressures and shifting consumer demands, COOs are redefining operations to drive growth and resilience. Your focus is on building smarter supply chains, adopting transformative technologies and creating strategies to get ahead of disruption. Notably, 55% of COOs identify AI as one of the most critical digital investments for transforming their operations, reflecting the shift toward innovation as a competitive advantage.

The opportunity? Empower teams, streamline processes and embrace innovation to shape the future of your business. It’s not just about meeting today’s challenges — it’s about creating what’s next.

Are you ready to lead with impact? With forward-thinking strategies and a clear vision, you’re positioned to drive transformation and unlock new value. Let’s shape the future of operations together.

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Chief Human Resources Officer

Workforces are at a tipping point. Nearly half of today’s core skills will evolve within five years, leaving businesses to confront complex challenges. Fifty-two percent of CHROs, for example, say access to skilled talent significantly impacts location strategy, highlighting the need for thoughtful workforce planning. Your focus should be on supporting employee well-being and upskilling, addressing burnout, fostering inclusive cultures and designing work that adapts to shifting employee and customer expectations.

Take control of workforce transformation by embedding flexibility into your operating models and aligning talent strategies with business objectives. Leverage data-driven insights to shape decisions, from reskilling initiatives to improving hybrid work environments. Build cultures of innovation and agility that meet today’s demands and anticipate tomorrow’s shifts.

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CISO

Cloud security, third-party risk and regulatory compliance dominate the agenda. For CISOs, compliance with new legislation remains a top concern, with 90% of risk leaders identifying it as a hurdle. Yet only 11% report prioritizing proactive risk management over reactive measures. Embedding security across the business — from supply chains to customer operations — is critical. Compliance isn’t just a box to check. It requires seamless integration into your organization’s fabric.

Strong incident response plans are essential to reducing disruptions and safeguarding critical assets. Aligning cybersecurity with digital transformation efforts demands precision and collaboration across the C-suite.

This is the moment to tackle threats with confidence, build resilience and position your organization for what’s next.

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Contact us

Ali Furman

Ali Furman

Consumer Markets Industry Leader, PwC US

Laura Thonn

Laura Thonn

Consumer Markets & Industrial Products Assurance Leader, PwC US

Josh Goldman

Josh Goldman

Consumer Markets Advisory Leader, PwC US

Megan Herzog

Megan Herzog

Consumer Markets Tax Leader, PwC US

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