The Future of Category research programme
A multi-wave study into how category management is evolving: across the supplier-retailer system, the commercial function and the capabilities organisations need to build.
Why this research exists
Retailers are investing at pace in data, technology and analytical capability. The buyer's information advantage over suppliers is compressing. What was once an expected contribution to the category conversation now has to work much harder to earn its place.
This research programme exists to track how that shift is playing out: what it means for the category function, the capabilities organisations need to build, and where the real pressure points lie.
"Category is not a functional toolkit. It is the learning engine of commercial growth." The premise the research keeps testing.
What the research is showing
What the research is showing
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Category is at a tipping point The function remains strategically important, but current structures and ways of working are being stretched by data proliferation, AI-driven decision-making and a retail sector investing heavily in its own capability. |
Decision quality is the real gap Having more data and better tools is not translating into clearer decisions. The pressure points are decision discipline, cross-functional alignment and the ability to turn insight into action. |
The premium on judgement is rising AI and algorithmic environments are reshaping what autonomous decision-making looks like in retail. That raises the premium for suppliers on judgement, influence and the quality of the category conversation. |
"A landmark report on the current status and future direction for Category Management, providing important direction for retailers and manufacturers as we transition into the next generation of Category Management."
Dr Brian Harris, pioneer of Category Management
Wave 1 findings
Wave 1 findings, webinar recording
Explore the headline findings from the Wave 1 research and what they suggest about the future of Category Management.
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The recorded discussion features Dr Brian Harris, pioneer of Category Management in the late 1980s, alongside Graeme Scott-Dodd, exploring what the research means for the future of Category and commercial decision-making. The discussion covers: — Why Category is becoming structurally exposed — What the research themes suggest about the future — Where capability gaps are beginning to emerge — What organisations may need to rethink next Watch the webinar discussion → |
Next steps
Apply the research
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Apply the research in your organisation A briefing is often the most useful starting point. It allows leadership teams to explore what the research means in their own context and identify where more structured support may be valuable. |
Join the inner circle We've drawn a line under Wave 2 fieldwork for this year's report, but the survey remains open. More than 200 professionals have taken part across two waves - complete it now for early access to findings, an invitation to an exclusive webinar and a monthly insight briefing on how the function is evolving. |