Whitepaper: From pricing fog to margin precision

Why it matters to CPGs

The old playbook is no longer working. Costs have risen nearly 25% since 2020, and US shelf prices for consumer goods have surged approximately 30% over the same period. Consumers have reached the limit of what they will absorb. Retailers hold more of the power. Promotions are expensive, and returns are uneven. This all means precision is now a competitive necessity. Growth remains available, but it must be captured at the SKU and channel level. And precision requires clean data, advanced analytics, and connected decision-making.

Perspectives from CPG experts

This paper is a joint perspective from two organizations that work at the intersection of CPG commercial strategy and technology.

POI brings together manufacturers, retailers, solution providers, analysts, and academics to improve enterprise planning, trade management, revenue growth management, and pricing. Its 2026 State of the Industry research informs one side of the paper's findings.

Authors

• Michael Kantor, Chief Executive Officer, POI
• Pam Brown, Chief Commercial Officer, POI

XTEL

XTEL is a global SaaS provider of cloud-native, AI-first revenue management software. Its platform connects data management, trade promotion management, analytics, assortment, and retail execution.

Authors

• Piet Surmont, Chief Marketing Officer, XTEL
• Roberta Reginella, Marketing Analyst & Operations, XTEL

Growth in 2026 will be won with precision, not blunt force. Download the white paper to see how leading CPG organizations are building the data foundation, AI capabilities, and revenue management architecture to get there.

Questions? Contact [email protected].