6. Alternative energy forms and more efficient vehicles and buildings

7. Joint business planning

"Current KPIs can be used to measure supply chain efficiency, they do not adequately address supply chain sustainability," the 2016 report states. Its seven solutions bring the CIO into the fold. In-store logistics, which will require greater adoption of radio frequency identification (RFID), reverse logistics and greater use of alternative fuel are self explanatory changes, but sharing transport, warehouses and information between high street rivals is a giant leap forward in business collaboration.

CapGemini see collaboration as imperative to the future supply chain. "Getting products on to the shelves will not diminish as a pressure, but organizations will have to become more dynamic," Madden says. Transport, warehouses and information will have to be shared between manufacturers, retailers and logistics suppliers, the 2016 report states. "Improving such collaboration demands new ways of working together.

The future supply chain is expected to provide clear benefits for our society, for industry, for individual companies, and ultimately for consumers and shoppers," they report. But they see these challenges as overall being positive for organizations, with transport costs reduced by 30 per cent per pallet, handling costs per pallet down by 20 per cent and CO2 emissions per pallet reduced by 25 per cent, and they confidently predict that on-shelf availability will not be diluted.