Increased costs, finding and retaining staff and climate change are the main problems of retail and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry executives, according to a survey by the Retail Consumer Goods Research Institute (IELKA) published on Wednesday.

The survey was conducted in June 2025 using a structured questionnaire and a sample of 130 senior and top Business Executives (Retail-Supermarket Chains and FMCG Suppliers) from the General Management and the Marketing, Sales, Purchasing, Finance, IT departments, etc.

The main problem recorded by market executives is increased operating costs, something that has been a problem for the industry over time and is reported by the entire sample. Equally important is the concern regarding the cost of purchasing products and raw materials, cited by 96%. What is recorded as an increasing problem is finding and developing staff, cited by 89%, with 65% considering it a major problem, which shows the difficulties in attracting employees, especially during the summer months. Other problems recorded as significant are the uncertainty of the broader business environment, low profitability and climate change.