As part of our Client Perceptions Programme, firms in this report are ranked on multiple metrics, including service quality, perception of added value, and the extent to which they are front of mind for clients. We include data covering different aspects of firms’ buyer funnels, including clients’ familiarity with firms, the extent to which they would consider working with a firm, and how strongly they would advocate for firms.

In this report we found that the biggest retail clients are less positive about the value of firms’ work than last year. We investigate why clients in retail may face different challenges to peers in other sectors, and how firms can overcome this.

Martin White, Principal Consultant at Source, provides a running commentary throughout the report, outlining what really matters for firms in retail in 2025, and how they can act now to meet clients’ needs. Firms mentioned in this report include:

• Accenture
• AlixPartners
• Bain & Company
• Boston Consulting Group
• Capgemini
• Deloitte
• EY
• IBM Consulting
• Kearney
• KPMG
• McKinsey & Company
• Oliver Wyman
• PwC (including Strategy&)
• Roland Berger