106 Retail and consumer goods companies are under growing pressure to move from concept to execution at unprecedented speed, with viral trends driving the purchases of seven in ten consumers, according to a 2026 survey by automated warehouse fulfilment firm, Locus Robotics. The survey findings highlight how viral demand and operational uncertainty compress planning cycles, forcing retailers to make their enterprises more responsive, agile and resilient. By utilising platforms and ecosystems delivered by Microsoft and its partners, retail and consumer goods organisations are closing the gap between concept and execution. Companies are redesigning their operating models to embed AI-driven intelligence, realtime data-sharing and automation into every decision point across multiple departments, including research and development, manufacturing and supply chain operations. AI enables data, decisions and workflows to be connected into a shared intelligence layer, which inks cloud insight with physical operations to ensure the right products reach stores and online channels when consumers want them. “Speed‑to‑shelf has shifted from a competitive advantage to a non‑negotiable requirement,” says Felice Miller, global business strategy lead for retail and consumer goods at Microsoft. “Consumers move in real time, trends ignite and fade overnight, and disruption is constant. Retail leaders now have to ask a hard question: is our operating model truly built to sense change, make decisions, and execute at the speed the market demands. There are numerous ways organisations can test if their operating model is truly built for rapid change, but every gap identified is an opportunity to strengthen the enterprise and build the intelligence, agility and resilience required in a world where speed is the default expectation.” “ Speed-to-shelf has shifted from a competitive advantage to a nonnegotiable requirement” Felice Miller explores how Microsoft and its partner ecosystem are enabling retailers and consumer goods organisations to use agentic AI to compress innovation cycles and respond faster to market demand BY LAURA HYDE FEATURE to the shelf innovation Accelerating
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