Consumer packaged goods companies must plan for a digital future
New report prepared for GMA by BCG, Google, and IRI highlights benefits for early movers as industry approaches a digital tipping point
Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies need to plan for a “1-5-10” market in the United States during the next five years, in which digital’s current one percent penetration will likely expand to five percent and could accelerate to as much as 10% in short order, according to a new report, The Digital Future: A Game Plan for Consumer Packaged Goods, prepared for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA, gmaonline.org) by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG, bcg.com), Google, and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI, iriworldwide.com). The report highlights how CPG companies can best position themselves for growth and unlock digital and e-commerce opportunities.
Digital penetration of five percent represents nearly one-half of total CPG growth during the next five years, meaning that companies without an effective digital capability risk stagnation, loss of share, and even shrinking sales. Early movers, on the other hand, have the opportunity to establish leading positions that will be difficult for others to infiltrate. Digital penetration rates will vary in different locations and categories. Some categories could see digital penetration of 30% or more by 2018.