Retail & Mass Distribution
In retail and mass distribution, every logistics decision has a direct impact on profitability and consumer satisfaction. Inventory management, order preparation, delivery organization, or warehouse slotting: operational complexity grows with peak seasons, SKU diversity, storage constraints, and the rise of omnichannel.
-30%
Logistics Costs
+ 40%
Productivity Gains
÷5
Planning Time
Challenges and Issues
- Multi-temperature logistics: managing compartmentalized trucks, sensitive goods (fresh, frozen, bulk), variable sizes, and sanitary constraints
- Growing warehouse complexity explosion in the number of SKUs, strategic importance of slotting (storage matrix), and high-turnover products
- Margin pressure: constant trade-offs between logistics costs, service level, and product availability
- Omnichannel and e-commerce: fragmented deliveries, click & collect, multiple customer touchpoints
- Demand variability: activity peaks (holidays, promotions, seasonality) requiring flexible and robust planning
- Sustainability and regulation: reducing food waste, cutting CO2 emissions, compliance with environmental standards
Use Cases Covered
- Optimization of multi-compartment fleets (temperature-controlled trucks, tankers, modular trailers…)
- Strategic positioning of high-turnover products in warehouses to reduce picking distances
- Dynamic reconfiguration of slotting based on demand, seasonality, or promotions
- Improved picker productivity through optimized picking routes and sequences (congestion, zones, etc.)
- Planning store delivery routing while accounting for time constraints and volumes
- Proactive stockout management on shelves through better synchronization between warehouses, regional platforms, and stores
- Consolidation and pooling of transport flows between warehouses, hubs, and points of sale
Benefits
- Reduced logistics costs: through better resource allocation and optimized truck fill rates
- Increased warehouse productivity: optimized routes, faster order preparation, automation of complex tasks
- Improved product availability in stores: fewer out-of-stocks, better-stocked shelves, faster response to promotions
- Robust and agile planning: real-time adaptation to disruptions (delays, peak periods, breakdowns)
- Lower environmental impact: optimized transport flows, pooled and rationalized resources
- Enhanced customer experience: product availability at the right time, faster restocking, reliable service
