Supply Chain World Volume 12 Issue 1 | Page 33

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Inventory

Consumer packaged goods ( CPG ) brands constantly focus on optimizing inventory management . The importance of creating agile inventory management approaches has only increased as inflation-weary consumers put pressure on brands to control costs . In 2025 , many brands are struggling to find effective approaches that enable them to achieve lower out-of-stock ( OOS ) with lower inventory , while staying resilient and reducing costs .

Data is the foundation of healthy inventory management and is critical to developing a central plan that demand planning , procurement , manufacturing , and logistics can all operate from . While some brands are just beginning to invest in modern technology to gain visibility into the data and insights needed to develop more agile inventory management strategies , others are already leveraging the latest data and AI to improve their demand planning and enable faster reactions to marketplace changes . Regardless of their stage of sophistication , CPG brands not only need technology to build more agile supply chains , but also people and processes . With the combination of these three critical elements , real-time insights are revolutionizing inventory management for leading brands , helping them to reduce waste as well as boosting agility and efficiency . scw-mag . com 17