To unlock volume growth, retailers must first fix the fundamentals through disciplined execution and operational excellence, creating the headroom needed to invest in the future.
The first chapter of our Unlocking volume growth report – produced in partnership with World Retail Congress – explores three essential levers for resetting the foundation: reinvigorating core trading, building the productivity flywheel to fund growth, and modernising legacy technology and data to enable speed.
Brilliant basics: Fix the fundamentals
Retailers must first fix the fundamentals through disciplined execution and operational excellence, creating the headroom needed to invest in the future. In this video, we explore three essential levers for resetting the foundation: reinvigorating core trading, building the productivity flywheel to fund growth, and modernising legacy technology and data to enable speed.
Key themes
Reinvigorating core trading excellence
Retailers haven’t lost volume for lack of tools – but because they’ve lost trading discipline. Rebuilding excellence demands consistently strong execution of the 4Ps (place, product, price, and promotion), underpinned by robust data and AI. Discounting is a drug, not a cure; retailers must embrace AI-driven pricing for precision over promotions. Treat stores as the backbone of volume growth and adapt quickly, as time is the enemy in retail
Building the productivity flywheel
Cost-cutting is a dead-end strategy. The most successful retailers treat productivity as a self-reinforcing flywheel, where every efficiency gain fuels reinvestment. "Save to invest" is the new mantra. Shift from siloed functions to integrated teams, empower the front line, and reimagine supplier relationships to co-create value.
Tackling legacy technology and data
Optimising tech and data isn’t optional – it’s fundamental for survival. Tackling tech debt is non-negotiable, and big-bang transformations are dead; the smart money is on modular, component-based approaches. Clean data is foundational, soestablish a single source of truth and start with focused pilots to deliver real-time insights.
Explore our Unlocking volume growth report:
Chapter 1
Brilliant basics: Fix the fundamentals
This chapter explores three levers for resetting the foundation: reinvigorating core trading, building the productivity flywheel to fund growth, and updating legacy technology and data to enable speed.
Chapter 2
Differentiate to drive demand
This chapter explores three routes: winning customers from rivals, creating unique product innovation to ensure relevance, and leveraging creative channel differentiation.
Coming soon
Chapter 3
Big bets: Pursue inorganic growth
This chapter explores three pathways to redefine market position and realise new value: transformational M&A, creative growth accelerators, and restructuring tools and special situations.
Coming soon
Unlocking volume growth
For retail executives, one stark reality overshadows all others: the pursuit of like-for-like volume growth has become a matter of survival.
This report provides a practical guide for retail executives, featuring actionable strategies, multiple case studies, and insights from leaders who have succeeded in rebuilding their fundamentals, driving clear differentiation, and pursuing bold inorganic opportunities to win.
Meet the team
