National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors President and CEO Eric Hoplin says President Donald Trump's efforts to reset economic relationships are causing expected short-term pain, including supply chain disruptions and price increases. Hoplin said 96% of members in a recent NAW survey reported price hikes of 10% or more. These price changes have not yet reached store shelves, but signal potential future consumer price increases and product shortages. Hoplin urges the White House to swiftly negotiate trade deals to prevent store shortages and return to normalcy.

A surge in US tariffs on Chinese goods has caused a sharp drop in shipments from that country. Gene Seroka, executive director at the Port of Los Angeles, indicated there could be a significant decline in import volumes "as essentially all shipments out of China for major retailers and manufacturers has ceased." Meanwhile, Stuart Sandlin, head of North America for Hapag-Lloyd, said there has been an increase in bookings out of Southeast Asia.

Major consumer brands such as PepsiCo, Kimberly-Clark and Procter & Gamble have lowered financial forecasts, citing concerns about consumer spending amid recent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. "Relative to where we were three months ago, we probably aren't feeling as good about the consumer now," PepsiCo Chief Financial Officer Jamie Caulfield says. "Uncertainty creates a pensive and anxious consumer," Colgate-Palmolive CEO Noel Wallace says.

California's Department of Motor Vehicles has proposed new regulations to permit the testing of self-driving heavy-duty trucks on public roads, ending the state's explicit ban. The proposal includes enhanced data-reporting requirements for manufacturers and grants the DMV greater authority to impose incremental penalties, rather than outright suspensions, for violations. The regulations are currently open for public comment until June.

One key to keeping procurement tail spend in check is consolidating suppliers, which improves purchasing power and streamlines the process, Matt High writes. Getting better visibility through tracking mechanisms and spend analysis tools is another important strategy, as it can reveal areas that can be optimized, clarify spending costs and reveal hidden costs, High writes.

B2B marketers are more interested in results-driven solutions than adding to their martech stacks, with 69% valuing delivered insights, according to the Pipeline360 2025 State of B2B Pipeline Growth Report. The report highlights a significant performance gap between top and bottom performers in areas such as data handling, with high performers excelling in data compliance and accuracy.

Economic uncertainty is prompting companies to reassess strategies for retaining top talent, writes Alaina Love, the CEO of Purpose Linked Consulting, who outlines five lessons to keep in mind, including being honest about challenges the company is facing, providing more development opportunities for your team and talking with front line workers to identify new efficiencies. "When leaders seek opportunities to belt-tighten, often the goal of achieving better quarterly results comes at a cost that can stifle productivity and compromise the talent pool of an organization for years," Love writes.

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