Impinj Inc., a RAIN RFID provider and Internet of Things specialist, announced findings from its Supply Chain Integrity Outlook 2026 research report, which highlighted growing tension between escalating consumer expectations and the ability of global supply chains to keep pace.
The report surveyed 1,000 U.S. consumers and 750 U.S. supply chain leaders:
- Increased demand for more convenient pickup and delivery: More than half (56%) of supply chain leaders said they faced increasing pressure to provide faster, more flexible delivery and pickup options, while 51% of consumers said they’re likely to stop buying from brands that don’t offer convenient choices.
- Viral commerce drives demand volatility: Social media and influencer trends drove 42% of purchases this year, creating unpredictable spikes in demand. Half of supply chain leaders struggled to keep up, and 52% said rapid demand shifts are the biggest threat to supply chain integrity – up nearly 30 points from last year.
- Food supply chains struggle with safety, compliance and waste: 59% of food supply chain leaders are worried about meeting FDA traceability requirements and over one-third expect to miss the deadline
Tariff tensions highlight disconnect between affordability and reality for consumers
Eighty-four percent of supply chain leaders said fluid foreign trade policies are affecting their planning, leading to sourcing adjustments (54%) and increased prices for customers (53%). More than half (56%) said they would stop buying a product if tariff-related costs were passed onto them.
DPP compliance, counterfeits and fraud test brand integrity for retailers and retail manufacturers and suppliers
The research revealed retailers and retail goods suppliers are also contending with rising operational threats, such as looming deadlines for Digital Product Passport (DPP) compliance and minimizing the risks of counterfeit goods and fraudulent shipping.
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of retail and retail goods supply chain leaders expressed concern about their ability to meet the EU’s DPP requirements, and nearly one-third (29%) do not expect to meet the deadline.
Counterfeit products also remain a growing issue, with 78% of retailers and retail goods suppliers saying it’s a challenge to stop unauthorized or fake versions of their products from reaching the market and 71% reporting damage to brand reputation or revenue as a result.
Consumers have low tolerance as 58% said they would stop buying a brand that unknowingly sold them a counterfeit product.
Meanwhile, fraudulent shipping is on the rise as 76% of retailers and retail goods suppliers reported an increase in fraudulent shipping incidents, mirroring the 38% of consumers who said they’ve been victims themselves, including receiving the wrong item or never getting a package that was marked as delivered.
Approximately 60% said one fraudulent shipping experience would cause them to abandon a brand altogether.
Food sector leaders face parallel pressure on safety, compliance and waste
Supply chain leaders in the food, grocery and restaurant sector are also navigating a complex mix of regulatory deadlines amid pressure to improve food safety and reduce food waste. Nearly 60% are concerned about meeting the FDA’s upcoming Food Traceability Rule (set to go into effect July 20, 2028), and 36% said they won’t make the extended deadline.
As a result of the challenges around establishing effective traceability across their supply chain, 58% experienced issues with food recalls impacting brand reputation or revenue in the past year. While 90% expressed confidence in their organization’s ability to quickly trace and remove recalled products, 70% still rely on manual spreadsheets or logs.
At the same time, the food sector continues to face significant challenges reducing waste, with 75% citing it as a major challenge, estimating an average annual loss of $79 million per organization through food waste and spoilage.
"Leaders say they feel confident in their recall capabilities, but with manual processes still the norm, there’s a widening gap between confidence and reality – and that’s where real risk lives," Impinj Vice President of Endpoint IC Product Management George Dyche said. "Item-level visibility is the bridge to close that gap, empowering brands to protect consumers, meet compliance requirements and turn transparency into a competitive advantage.”
AI tops investment priorities, but data quality remains a challenge
Nearly 68% of supply chain leaders plan to invest in new AI and automation technologies in the next year. However, over half (51%) cited data accuracy as their biggest barrier to effective AI, and 41% pointed to lack of data availability.
Only 42% reported real-time supply chain visibility capabilities, and 46% reported having full item-level traceability in place.
