Retailers anticipated a shakeup in the global trade landscape this year, but the unpredictable nature of US trade policy made 2025 the most tumultuous year since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although they also prioritized and accelerated plans to diversify their sourcing and manufacturing where possible, most retailers shifted, paused or canceled shipments in response to tariff uncertainty, upending the usual rhythms and peaks of the shipping year, scrambling transportation markets and bewildering analysts.
All this rapid-fire replanning carries a price tag, and as retail supply chain executives head into 2026, they are evaluating how to plan and budget for an uncertain outlook.
Technology has been a core component of building responsive supply chains, enabling multidimensional scenario planning and expediting data analysis. As AI continues to evolve from hype to real-world supply chain applications, retailers can make smarter, more precise decisions about inventory strategy, network optimization and transportation planning. In turn, more efficient supply chains can help reduce transport emissions and increase sustainability.
Technology is also helping retailers combat the pernicious threat of cargo theft. Accurate tracking and prevention is difficult, but US lawmakers have an opportunity to constrict this multi-billion-dollar theft pipeline by passing the bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act in 2026.
Cargo theft joins trade uncertainty, fluctuating transportation markets, cost-to-serve pressures and other factors in reinforcing leading retailers’ focus on working with smaller networks of trusted partners. Secure, resilient adaptable supply chains require a team of partners working in concert to serve our customers and support the millions of jobs in our ecosystem.
In 2026, retail supply chains will continue moving and evolving at an unprecedented pace, requiring leaders to learn and adapt faster than ever before. Retailers may hope for more consistency and certainty in 2026, but they have planned for a range of contingencies to ensure that no disruption impedes the growth and dynamism of our industry.