1. Syndicated data is critical for manufacturers. Ninety-seven percent of companies reported that syndicated data is their largest data source with 90% reporting that POS data is the most often utilized. In addition, 21% reported they are using direct-to-consumer (DTC) while the use of sell in data while still high at 64% has dropped 12 points compared to 2018.
2. Data quality issues continue to plague manufacturers. Sixty-seven percent of companies reported having data quality issues with external sources and data anomalies that, when left unfixed, can lead to inaccurate analysis results.
3. Revenue Growth Management (RGM) is growing in popularity. 75 percent of companies surveyed have initiated RGM with 46% advancing practices, diving deeper optimized promotion, pricing, and pack growth analysis; 35% adding tools or analytical capabilities to support new RGM processes; and 28% adding RGM personnel.
4. Trade Promotion, Planning and Optimization (TPx) solutions bring transformative results to CPG manufacturers. According to respondents, TPx helped eliminate poor performance (56%), led to process improvements (52%), and provided greater visibility to the business and opportunities/risks (50%).
5. Retail execution of aligned promotions is improving, yet needs to be accelerated. POI research reflects that companies continue to struggle with compliance and in-store execution. Sixty-one percent of respondents reported that their companies are struggling to have retailer aligned promotions executed at store level. Seventy-nine percent that they don’t have the tools needed to make appropriate decisions at store level.
6. CPG manufacturers have substantial digital needs that need to be addresses. Fifty-four percent of respondents noted that developing a digital practice starts with gaining necessary digital budgets. Twenty-seven percent reported a need for a dedicated digital team, and 30% reflect a need for dedicated analysts. In addition, 57% said that in order to understand the potential, impact, and ROI of digital enablement the team needs digital ROI evaluation capabilities (55%).
7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) allows CPGs and retailers to gather customer insights in an automated fashion and predict next actions based on previous patterns or images. Twenty-three percent of respondents note that their organizations are working to enable AI capabilities in the TPx promotion cycle while 15% of the respondents are already working to incorporate AI capabilities to impact retail execution.

“POI’s manufacturer and retailer members continue to express their renewed sense of urgency when innovating and continuously improving. From the critical content and insights to the feedback from POI members, this is by far the greatest, and most applicable report published by POI,” said Michael Kantor, CEO and Founder, POI.