13 August 2026: Consumers are set to bear the brunt of ongoing global supply chain disruption, with more than a third of businesses actively planning to increase prices to offset costs in the next six months, new research from the BSI shows.
A study of professionals with involvement in supply chain risk management, commissioned by resilience experts at BSI, reveals that recent supply chain shocks are directly impacting the end consumer. To mitigate against potential or ongoing disruptions over the next six months, over a third (36%) say their business plans to increase prices. Furthermore, shoppers are set to face reduced choices and longer wait times for goods, meaning they could struggle to get hold of everything from consumer electronics to medicines.
The data shows that a quarter (24%) of U.S. companies plan to reduce the range of products or SKUs on offer in the next six months, while 68% are already pausing new orders altogether. The majority (81%) say they are currently or about to warn customers about shortages, delays, or dependency risks.
The research highlights that these challenges are being exacerbated by a lack of preparedness for what BSI’s resilience experts describe as ‘a new normal of near-constant disruption’, due to geopolitical turmoil, climate and weather-related incidents and digital transformation.
During the last six months, less than a third (30%) of organizations said they were fully prepared for raw material or component shortages, including scarcity of critical inputs. This is despite half (49%) having experienced supply chain disruption previously r due to geopolitical events, with the same number (50%) having seen issues arise in this period due to raw material or component shortages.
The data shows how businesses are planning to respond to disruption, with almost four in five (81%) currently or imminently stockpiling or building strategic inventory buffers, and nearly the same proportion (78%) currently or considering nearshoring their supply chain in the next 12 months. With key shipping routes disrupted and high levels of freight theft, 79% are already or planning to change modes of transporting products.
Looking at immediate action, in the next six months, over a third (37%) expect to find new suppliers, and over a fourth (28%) expect to shift trade routes. One in five also said they expect to cut jobs or reduce recruitment due to supply chain pressures.
Tony Pelli, Practice Director, Supply Chain Resilience, BSI, said: "The era of smooth, predictable global trade that defined the last three decades is behind us. Today's supply chains operate in a world shaped by geopolitical competition, climate disruption and increasing uncertainty.
“Businesses are facing a new normal of near-constant disruption, and we are likely to see no let up in the coming months and years. As our research shows, this is not just a concern for those managing operations; we are expecting it to directly impact consumers in the coming months. Whether it will be empty shelves, higher prices or delays to receiving orders, impacts are likely to trickle down to the public as businesses battle one disruption after another. For business leaders, building resilience requires stronger collaboration, improved visibility across supply chains and more proactive approaches to managing risk."
About BSI:
BSI is a global professional services company, providing training, assurance, certification and advisory services worldwide. We partner with more than 74,500 clients globally to make the world safer, more secure and more sustainable by building trust in the things that matter most.
BSI helps clients identify vulnerabilities, monitor emerging threats, and implement targeted risk mitigation strategies across complex global supply networks. Through its integrated MESH framework (Mapping, Evaluation, Strategy, and Harmonization), BSI combines consulting expertise, auditing, advanced technology, and intelligence-led insights to strengthen operational resilience, improve supply chain visibility, support regulatory compliance, and drive sustainable business performance.
About the research:
The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 900 respondents in companies with 100+ employees whose primary role functions included ESG, logistics, and procurement within the supply chain function, and 700+ workers whose function is finance, legal or operations and have involvement in supply chain management/risk management or future planning. Respondents worked in the following industries: retail & consumer goods, food & beverage, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals (minimum of 50 respondents per sector).
Respondents covered the following markets: UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, Australia, US. The data was collected between 30.06.2026 - 08.07.2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge.
Full data is available on request.
