According to research done by EY, the 20 leading consumer products companies still have up to $35 billion tied up unnecessarily in working capital, translating into 5% of their combined sales.
By reviewing the working capital performance of the 4,000 largest companies by sales, including 1,000 companies each in the U.S. and Europe, EY has recently published a research report titled: “Taking stock of working capital” and highlighted the substantial potential offered for those that adopt proper working capital strategy.
Enhanced WC performance by consumer products companies
The EY report demonstrates that 2013 was a year of sharp improvements in WC performance for the consumer products industry. As captured in the chart below, all of the three selected segments within the consumer products industry–food and...

