PROCUREMENT TECHNOLOGY
For many organisations, the inability to anticipate or react to global shocks is directly eroding the bottom line. Ivalua’ s research reveals that over a quarter of UK firms( 26 %) report that rising supply costs have placed significant pressure on profitability.
To mitigate these losses, 23 % of businesses have already passed increased costs on to their customers. However, price hikes are a finite solution. The real challenge lies in structural agility. While firms have attempted to de-risk by onboarding alternative suppliers( 73 %) or exploring nearshoring( 64 %), the overall sense of preparedness remains fragile.
Alex Saric, Smart Procurement Expert at Ivalua, explains the severity of the situation:“ Geopolitical risk is no longer an anomaly, it’ s a permanent feature of global trade. Our research shows that no region is immune. Geopolitical shocks such as tariffs and mineral price fluctuations can erupt daily, or even hourly.
“ UK businesses are stuck between a rock and a hard place as they either absorb costs or pass them onto customers, pushing them to the brink. Survival depends on making good decisions in critical moments, particularly as our research indicates disruption shows no sign of slowing.”
82 April 2026