2026: The Great Recalibration

9 Strategic Themes for FMCG in 2026

Executive Summary

The global Fast-Moving Consumer Goods sector is approaching 2026 in a state of profound structural transition. After a half-decade characterised by pandemic-induced supply shocks, followed immediately by a historic inflationary super-cycle, the operating environment has shifted from one of reactive crisis management to proactive strategic recalibration. The era of “easy growth”—driven primarily by aggressive pricing actions to cover soaring input costs—has effectively concluded. As the industry pivots into the late 2025 and 2026 fiscal periods, investors are enforcing a new, more rigorous standard of performance: a demand for organic volume growth, operational resilience against geopolitical fragmentation, and the tangible realisation of returns from digital and portfolio transformations.