The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) has issued a warning that technology prices may surge this Christmas, as supply-chain disruptions drive up costs for both consumers and retailers. The latest CIPS Global Pulse Survey for the third quarter of 2026 reveals rising freight and input expenses, a development earlier reports had forecast would eventually reach end-users.
Survey participants describe production costs as increasingly difficult to align with what customers are willing to pay, signaling broader financial strain across multiple product categories. Nearly a quarter of respondents expect computer and peripheral equipment prices to climb, while more than a third predict higher shipping and logistics costs. Ben Farrell, global CEO of CIPS, states that members are observing a critical threshold where supply-chain disruptions threaten the profitability of producing and selling everyday goods. A supplier unable to cover its own costs becomes a liability for any business dependent on it, regardless of how competitive the original agreement may have been.
Technology buyers are reporting a persistent shortage of chips, which is directly affecting laptop and mobile phone availability. These shortages create bottlenecks that could extend lead times and push hardware prices upward for both businesses and consumers, particularly as holiday demand peaks.
Farrell emphasizes that company leadership must respond to the warnings procurement teams are raising. This includes mapping critical material sources, assessing suppliers’ financial stability and production capacity, and identifying backup options before shortages lead to delivery failures. He also warns against overburdening already strained suppliers, as doing so could further jeopardize supply continuity.
Brands, retailers, and consumers could be hit hard in the run up to Christmas 2026 as continued supply chain disruption will see double-digit price rises for household staples and technology, warned the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS). The latest CIPS Global Pulse Survey for Q3 2026 highlighted what earlier surveys warned – that higher freight and input costs would feed through to businesses and households.
Respondents described production costs becoming “difficult to reconcile with the prices customers are willing to pay”, while expectations of further increases extend across a full range of categories. Some 26 per cent of respondents indicated that computers and peripheral equipment would see prices rise, with 36 per cent reporting a jump in shipping and logistics costs.
