KPMG – Strengthening the Core: Global Consumer & Retail M&A Outlook, 2025

The main theme of the report concerns forecasts and strategies in the field of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the global consumer goods and retail sector by 2025.

Key findings include an expected improvement in the trading environment in 2025, but C&R executives face a more complex landscape, including various economic growth trajectories, changes in consumer preferences, and new risks. For many sub-sectors, maintaining volumes will be more important than growth due to pressure on consumer spending and declining brand loyalty. Companies are revising their portfolio strategies to better balance risk and reward, considering new risks such as reputational losses, cyber threats, and ESG compliance costs. Active investors are pressuring companies to divest non-core assets, and companies that clearly define and execute their strategy perform better.