Sales Forecasting and Promotions Workgroup

Forecasting has consistently been identified as one of the top three issues faced by suppliers in the GCA annual survey, ranked second in 2023. Poor retailer forecasting can result in significant costs for suppliers, especially where there are large or unforeseen spikes or dips in demand.

The workgroup gathers evidence of these supplier losses and subsequent waste with a focus on developing a best practice framework with the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) to improve standards across all retailers.

The group covers:

• Promotional forecasting
• Day to day inbound ordering forecasts
• Event planning (Christmas, Easter, Back-to-School, weather related)
• Range change planning (both listing and delisting)

What Good Looks Like

We work closely with retailers, gaining insight into their processes and challenges and sharing the most effective ways for suppliers to improve both the retailers and their own forecast accuracy.

We consistently review retailer performance, identifying poorer performing retailers to the GCA and highlighting weaker processes for them to target.

Benefits

• Learn from peers and share updates on retailer performance and evolving challenges
• Discover internal best practice to support more accurate retailer forecasting
• Identify opportunities to get compensation for inaccurate forecasting
• Gain insight into how to effectively use retailer systems
• Access to a forum, sharing feedback to retailer supply chain teams and buyers
  
  

The Sales Forecasting and Promotions workgroup is part of our wider offering of best practice workgroups, click here to discover more.