Redesigning an International Sourcing Strategy for a Nordic Retailer in a Shifting Trade Environment

A sourcing organisation supporting a leading Nordic retail group needed to reassess its international procurement strategy. The global trade environment had changed quickly, and the client was facing growing uncertainty driven by geopolitical tensions, new EU regulatory requirements, and increased sustainability scrutiny across its non-food supply chain.

China remained a core sourcing market due to cost and scale, but the leadership team recognised that relying too heavily on a single geography created long-term risk. They needed clarity on how to protect margins while building a more resilient and compliant supply base.

The client faced several strategic questions:

• How exposed is our current sourcing model to changes in EU, China, and US trade policy?
• Which product categories are most vulnerable to regulatory and sustainability pressure?
• Where does diversification genuinely reduce risk rather than just shift it?
• Do purchasing alliances strengthen our position or limit our strategic flexibility?

The goal was to move beyond short-term cost optimisation and develop a sourcing strategy that could hold up under multiple future trade scenarios.

Our team worked closely with the client's senior sourcing and procurement teams to design a practical, decision-ready sourcing strategy. The engagement focused on helping leadership make clear trade-offs between cost, risk, compliance, and operational control.

Our role was hands-on and advisory. We supported analysis, structured decision-making, and executive alignment.

Trade and regulatory risk assessment

Accriona analysed how potential shifts in EU, China, and US trade policy could impact the client's sourcing footprint. This included tariff exposure, regulatory tightening, and sustainability requirements. The objective was to understand where the real risks sat and which scenarios would materially affect cost and supply continuity.

Sourcing market analysis and diversification planning

We reviewed sourcing trends across Asia and Europe and assessed alternative supplier markets by product category. This allowed the client to identify realistic diversification options, understand cost and lead-time implications, and prioritise categories where change would have the greatest impact.

Purchasing alliance evaluation

Accriona assessed the strategic pros and cons of joining purchasing alliances. We looked beyond headline savings and examined governance, loss of autonomy, operational constraints, and long-term lock-in risks. This enabled leadership to evaluate alliances as a strategic tool rather than a default cost lever.

The client received a clear sourcing roadmap that:

• Reduced over-dependence on single-country sourcing
• Identified priority categories for diversification
• Clarified when purchasing alliances added value and when they did not
• Equipped leadership to make sourcing decisions under different future trade conditions

The outcome was a more resilient sourcing strategy that balanced cost competitiveness with regulatory and geopolitical reality.