Top 10: Predictions for 2026

Supply chains ensure global trade runs smoothly, transporting goods and services seamlessly. Following the instability throughout 2025, the industry is anticipating both challenges and progression throughout 2026.

2025 has shown us that strategic planning is what protects a business’ resilience - companies that adapt to tools and ethical practices will see the benefit in supply chain stability and customer satisfaction. Leading into 2026, business leaders are exploring strategies for building operational efficiency and growth.

Supply Chain Digital gets insights from industry professionals on current and emerging trends over the next year.

10. New standards for ethical supply chains

Executive: Levent Ergin
Job: Chief Climate, Sustainability & AI Strategist at Informatica
Topic Statistic: 83% of consumers would prefer to order a drink made with Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa over one without the label (source: Kerry Group) 

Companies have begun to see the strategic benefit of ethical and responsible sourcing.

Levent Ergin, Chief Climate, Sustainability & AI Strategist at Informatica says: “Treating compliance as a box ticking exercise misses the point. Strong data governance doesn’t just keep an organisation out of trouble, it builds resilience. 

“When deadlines shift or rules change, businesses with solid data systems can move faster, win contracts sooner and trade on trust while others scramble.”

9. The rise of modular execution and SCaaS

Executive: Tom Fairbairn
Job: Distinguished Engineer at Solace
Topic Statistic: 91% of supply chain leaders expect increased adoption of cloud computing and storage, a critical enabler of modular, composable supply chain platforms. (Deloitte)

Modular, composable supply chain execution platforms are likely to replace legacy monolithic systems. Supply chain as a service (SCaaS) ecosystems will also rise, enabling on-demand orchestration of global supply chain resources through flexible, cloud-based platforms.

“The current pace of policy U-turns and brinkmanship make clear that businesses need to move faster than the disruption,” says Tom Fairbairn, a distinguished engineer at Solace.

“There are numerous mitigations, from alternative and diversified sourcing arrangements to third party or near-shored manufacturing.”

8. The importance of the Middle East grows

Executive: Tiemen Meester
Job: Group Chief Operating Officer at DP World
Topic Statistic: Saudi Arabia’s freight and logistics market size reached approximately US$31.82bn in 2024 (Research and Markets via GlobeNewswire)

Increasing strategic investments in operations across the Middle East could act as a bridge for Europe, Africa and Latin America.

“As trade flows into Europe, Africa and Latin America, we see an increased role for the Middle East to tap into it by providing superior infrastructure in ports, logistics, warehousing, the ease of doing business and making sure the supply chain can thrive here,” says Tiemen Meester, Group Chief Operating Officer at DP World.

7. Securing national energy supplies

Executive: Anthony Allard
Job: North America EVP for Hitachi Energy
Topic Statistic: Electricity demand surged by 4.3% in 2024, well above the 3.2% growth in global GDP, with renewables and nuclear collectively accounting for 80% of this growth in electricity generation. (IEA)

6. More investment in experiential retail and phygital convergence

Executive: Carlos Mercuriali
Job: SVP and GM for International Business Operations at Avalara
Topic Statistic: Among Fortune 500 retailers, 70% actively integrate phygital technologies (Source: Brand XR)

E-commerce has grown significantly over the years, but are high streets a thing of the past, or will they grow in popularity once more?

Retailers are moving beyond traditional e-commerce, creating what the industry calls “phygital” models – hybrid experiences that blend physical stores and digital services seamlessly.

Carlos Mercuriali, SVP & GM, International Business Operations at Avalara says: “Retail and e-commerce will also face rising pressure as digital customs and VAT regimes evolve across Europe and emerging markets.

5. Fulfilling growing social commerce demand

Executive: Pablo Ciano
Job: CEO of DHL eCommerce 
Topic Statistic: 63% of businesses use at least three online platforms to sell - including social media, apps and marketplaces. (DHL)

Social commerce, exemplified by TikTok Shop and Facebook Marketplace, is revolutionising supply chains by enabling direct-to-consumer transactions within social platforms, reducing middlemen and streamlining distribution.

Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL eCommerce, says: “This report [2025 E-Commerce Trends Reports] offers a powerful snapshot of how e-commerce is evolving - from AI-driven personalisation and social commerce to the rise of B2B and borderless trade. It’s not just about trends; it’s about transformation and the heartbeat of local and global e-commerce.

“Businesses are scaling faster, selling smarter and prioritising sustainability like never before. At DHL, we’re proud to support this momentum, helping retailers deliver with speed, trust and responsibility in every market they serve.”

4. Cementing agentic payment protocols

Executive: Zvi Schreiber
Job: CEO of Freightos
Topic Statistic: 76% of supply chain professionals see agentic AI suitable for supplier management tasks like reordering (ABI Research)

Agentic payments use AI to autonomously make financial decisions and execute payments, improving cash flow and efficiency. Protocols in 2026 are vital to ensure security, trust and interoperability, preventing fraud and enabling seamless integration into existing systems for safe, intelligent, automated financial operations.

"At Freightos, our mission is to make global trade frictionless," adds Zvi Schreiber, CEO of Freightos.

"That means not only helping importers, exporters and freight forwarders to instantly compare, book and manage freight services online – but also making it easier to pay for those services in a modern, seamless way.”

3. Will supply chains resist fragmentation?

Executive: Rashid Abdulla
Job: CEO and MD for Europe at DP World
Topic Statistic: 72% global CEOs regard localisation as a long-term strategic shift (source: EY-Parthenon's Q3 CEO Outlook Pulse Survey)

The threat of regionalisation looms closer as geopolitical tensions grow.

“Europe has an extensive infrastructure network, but too many national and modal systems are still working in isolation,” explains Rashid Abdulla, CEO and MD for Europe at DP World.

“The question for next year is whether we allow supply chains to break into regional silos, or we use this period to knit them – both digital and physical assets – together into truly end-to-end networks that can perform under shock.”

2. Will the freight market recover?

Executive: Neil Cawse
Job: CEO of Geotab
Topic Statistic: 16% - the increase in global shipping capacity since 2024, as new vessels joined fleets and helped ease freight rates despite lingering supply chain stress. (source: The World Bank’s Global Supply Chain Stress Index)

As demand for freight increases and more fleets adopt technological advancements to increase efficiency, experts predict the freight industry will bounce back from disruption. 

As the freight industry recovers from high demand and fragmented systems, activity will return to normal, which will influence transportation costs and capacity planning.

“The economy will feel like a recession and a boom at the same time, and freight will sit at the center of it,” says Neil Cawse, CEO of Geotab.

“Political and economic pressure will continue to weigh on freight demand, creating a softer market that challenges margins and reshapes investment priorities.

“At the same time, logistics and transportation remain essential, and the tools now available to fleets offer some of the strongest cost-saving potential the industry has ever seen.

“This creates a dual reality, a sector under strain, yet full of opportunity for operators who choose to modernise.”

1. Investors face an AI reality check

Executive: Petr Baudis
Job: Co-Founder and CTO at Rossum
Topic Statistic: Around 70-85% of AI initiatives fail, with only about 6% delivering quick returns (MIT)

AI has seen a major boom in use over the last year, with many companies turning towards it to transform operational efficiency. However, some early implementations show poor ROI due to lack of training and unrealistic expectations. 

AI is moving beyond hype to practical, measurable use cases. True success comes from embedding AI in operational decisions, not adopting AI for its own sake. 

Petr Baudis, Co-Founder and CTO at Rossum says: “Many companies that sell AI are hoping the tech will catch up with their value proposition, but expectations are (finally) being corrected as apparent progress slows.

“This correction will make AI bubbles pop - be it overhyped startups, technology vendor laggards frantically trying to pivot, or even some of the frontier AI lab hyperscalers.

“But there is just one thing more harmful than investing in overhyped AI products that fall short - and that is ignoring specialised AI that already, right now, solves real problems with measurable results.”