Deloitte – The six forces shaping the future of the consumer industry, 2023

The authors of the introduction to Deloitte's report on the future of grocery retail in 2023 highlight the rapid pace of change in the consumer industry over the past 20 years. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the forces shaping this industry in the next decade, the authors conducted extensive research over an 18-month period. They sought input from a diverse range of sources, including more than 800 professionals, industry experts, clients, consumer industry insiders, economists, sociologists, policymakers, authors, academics, and Wall Street analysts. They also directly analyzed consumers across 20 countries every month. The motivation for this extensive research was the increasing number and complexity of questions from their clients, which reflected the uncertainty and challenges faced by every consumer company. This led the authors to explore the fundamental question of which driving forces will shape the future of the consumer industry. Taking on this challenge was not only for their clients' benefit but also for the authors' own understanding and the growth of their firm. This research marks the beginning of an ongoing exploration conducted by Deloitte's Future for the Consumer Industry team. The authors invite readers to join them on this journey of understanding and to explore the forces that will shape the future of the grocery retail industry in 2023.