The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry is evolving faster than ever in 2025, driven by shifting consumer behavior, digital transformation, and new business models. Retailers and CPG companies are navigating supply chain disruptions, pricing pressures, and growing demand for sustainability and wellness. At the same time, consumers expect personalized experiences, seamless e-commerce, and real-time decision-making powered by data analytics and artificial intelligence.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
In this article, we’ll explore the top CPG trends that are reshaping the industry in 2025, including issues like sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives, AI-driven product development, automation, omnichannel marketing, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth. These industry trends highlight how CPG brands can optimize operations, meet consumer needs, and capture market share in today’s competitive ecosystem.
Digital transformation is accelerating across CPG
The CPG industry is no longer experimenting with digital transformation. It’s fully embedded into how consumer packaged goods companies operate. From supply chain visibility to customer experience, the shift is reshaping every stage of the value chain. Brands and retailers are using automation, data analytics, and AI-driven insights to forecast consumer demand, streamline sourcing, and launch new products faster.
One of the biggest opportunities lies in connecting offline and online touchpoints. Digital touchpoints are now standard on packaging and in-store displays, as many companies use QR Codes for upsells and cross-sells. With real-time link tracking and analytics, CPG brands can optimize conversion rates, monitor consumer preferences, and adapt messaging instantly.
Bitly plays a key role in this digital maturity. By managing branded links, QR Codes, and short URLs in one platform, CPG companies can:
- Enhance consumer engagement across channels.
- Gain real-time insights into customer data and decision-making.
- Automate workflows across retail, DTC, and influencer campaigns.
- Optimize product launches with measurable, trackable digital touchpoints.
For CPG brands, investing in digital transformation is about more than just efficiency; It’s about building resilient business models that keep pace with evolving consumer needs.
QR Codes are becoming packaging infrastructure
What started as a marketing tool is now a cornerstone of CPG packaging. QR Codes are evolving into essential infrastructure, driven by the GS1 Digital Link migration and new retail compliance standards. By 2027, 2D barcodes will replace traditional UPCs, giving CPG brands a single code that supports supply chain traceability, consumer engagement, and regulatory labeling requirements.
For retailers and CPG companies, this shift means QR Codes must do more than link to a website. They must enable:
- Real-time scan analytics to track consumer behavior and conversion rates.
- Regional labeling updates that adapt to local regulations and languages.
- Retailer compliance with next-generation shelf space and inventory systems.
- Transparency around sustainability, sourcing, and product information.
Bitly provides the scalable infrastructure for this transformation. With branded QR Codes, our URL Shortener, and real-time Bitly Analytics, CPG brands can manage millions of consumer interactions across packaging, e-commerce, and in-store touchpoints while maintaining consistency, control, and measurable insights.
In 2025, QR Codes are mission-critical to product development, supply chain resilience, and customer experience.
Omnichannel loyalty is redefining customer relationships
In 2025, loyalty in the CPG industry goes far beyond coupons and discounts. Brands are building ecosystems where physical and digital touchpoints converge to create lasting connections with consumers. Packaging, in-store displays, and e-commerce channels now work together to deliver personalized experiences that drive repeat purchasing decisions and consumer trust.
Examples include:
- On-pack QR Codes that unlock personalized rewards, recipes, or wellness content.
- User-generated content (UGC) campaigns fueled by social media and influencer engagement.
- Direct-to-consumer offers that bridge in-store and digital experiences.
- Dynamic short links guiding consumers from TikTok or Instagram straight to purchase pages.
For CPG brands, success depends on tracking and optimizing these interactions in real time. Bitly helps by powering branded short links and QR Codes that provide engagement data across channels—helping brands understand consumer preferences, measure conversion rates, and optimize messaging.
This omnichannel approach transforms customer experience from transactional to relational, anchoring loyalty programs in personalized, AI-driven insights that reflect evolving consumer needs.
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) is evolving—not disappearing
Early predictions that DTC would replace retail seem less impressive than they did. Instead, DTC has matured into a complementary channel that helps CPG brands capture richer consumer data, test innovation, and run targeted promotions without bypassing retailers. Today’s leading CPG companies see DTC not as disruption, but as an engine for consumer insights and personalized experiences.
Key use cases include:
- Testing new SKUs with limited drops before scaling into retailers.
- Exclusive promotions tied to loyalty or seasonal campaigns.
- Consumer behavior insights from first-party data that inform pricing strategies, product development, and demand forecasting.
- Real-time optimization of conversion rates and messaging through analytics.
QR-linked campaigns and Bitly-branded links make these initiatives measurable. By adding QR Codes or short links to packaging, influencer content, and email campaigns, CPG brands can track customer experience, refine messaging, and optimize future product launches.
In 2025, DTC is a strategic supplement helping brands balance retail partnerships with direct consumer engagement while strengthening decision-making across the CPG ecosystem.
Retail media is changing how CPGs allocate spend
Retail media networks (RMNs) have become one of the fastest-growing channels in the CPG industry, reshaping how brands connect with consumers at the point of purchase. Instead of relying solely on social media or traditional advertising, CPG companies are investing in retailer-owned ad platforms to influence consumer behavior within digital storefronts.
For marketers, this shift offers direct access to shopper data and the ability to optimize spend against measurable outcomes like conversion rates and purchasing decisions. But it also creates challenges, as campaigns are spread across multiple retailers, each with its own metrics, formats, and compliance requirements.
Bitly helps unify these efforts. By using our connection platform’s branded links and QR Codes across campaigns, CPG brands can:
- Track consumer engagement across fragmented ecosystems.
- Measure real-time performance of retail media spend.
- Optimize messaging with consistent, branded touchpoints.
- Streamline workflows across multiple retailer partnerships.
In 2025, RMNs are no longer experimental. They’re central to CPG marketing strategies. And Bitly’s tools ensure brands can capture the full value of this fast-growing channel.
Sustainability is driving packaging and messaging innovation
For many CPG companies in 2025, sustainability is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s often a regulatory requirement and a core part of business models. Global mandates around recycling, carbon reporting, and supply chain transparency mean brands must prove eco-friendly practices at scale. This shift impacts not only sourcing and product development but also how packaging communicates with consumers.
QR Codes are becoming the bridge between compliance and consumer engagement. With a simple scan, shoppers can access:
- Transparency data on sourcing and supply chain practices.
- Recycling instructions tailored to regional requirements.
- ESG metrics that demonstrate corporate initiatives in real time.
Bitly acts as the link layer that powers this flexibility. By managing branded links and QR Codes, CPG brands can update messaging dynamically without reprinting packaging, ensuring regulatory alignment while meeting consumer preferences for clear, trustworthy information. Many companies rely on Bitly for improving batch code tracking.
In a competitive ecosystem, sustainability-driven innovation is both an operational necessity and a way to strengthen customer experience.
Social commerce is now a core sales and content channel
Social commerce has moved from experiment to an essential pillar of CPG growth. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube aren’t just for influencer shoutouts; they’re becoming direct points of sale where consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products in real time. For retailers and CPG brands, this means social media is as critical to revenue as e-commerce or in-store promotions.
Enterprise teams are building full-funnel campaigns designed for measurable outcomes, including:
- Shoppable video that links directly to new product launches.
- Creator-led UGC campaigns tied to exclusive promotions.
- Integrated loyalty offers delivered through social-first activations.
- Personalized messaging aligned to demographic insights.
Bitly Links power these campaigns with branded, trackable CTAs. Whether embedded in creator content or organic posts, short links provide a wealth of analytics that help CPG companies optimize spend and refine customer experience.
In 2025, social commerce is central to how CPG brands win market share.
Personalization is becoming more precise and more automated
Personalization in the CPG industry has moved far beyond basic email targeting. In 2025, it means delivering dynamic product recommendations, loyalty messaging, and content experiences that automatically adapt to consumer behavior. Using first-party data, CPG brands can now segment audiences by demographic, purchasing decisions, and even regional sustainability preferences to create customer experiences that feel uniquely relevant.
Enterprise teams are using personalization to:
- Refine loyalty programs with customized rewards and offers.
- Adapt messaging across regions to meet local consumer needs.
- A/B test content for higher conversion rates and optimized decision-making.
- Serve AI-driven product recommendations aligned with consumer preferences.
- Drive targeted SMS marketing for CPG brands.
Bitly supports these strategies with branded links and QR Codes that act as measurable, flexible connectors. By embedding trackable links across campaigns, brands can segment audiences, regionalize messaging, and test experiences as they happen, ensuring they optimize every consumer touchpoint for engagement.
In a crowded CPG ecosystem, precise and automated personalization is now critical to sustaining growth and consumer loyalty.
AI and automation are reshaping CPG workflows
AI and automation are no longer experimental. Instead, they’re embedded infrastructure shaping how brands operate. From product development to customer experience, these tools are redefining workflows with speed, precision, and scale.
Examples include:
- Content generation for personalized messaging and social commerce campaigns.
- Supply chain forecasting to anticipate disruptions and balance inventory in real time.
- Automated customer support that adapts to consumer needs across channels.
- Real-time optimization of pricing strategies, conversion rates, and omnichannel promotions.
Bitly extends this automation into link management and analytics. Enterprise teams can:
- Automate branded link creation across campaigns, influencers, and platforms.
- Generate QR Code variants for regional labeling or product launches.
- Capture engagement data in real time to feed decision-making and personalization engines.
- Streamline workflows by integrating Bitly with martech stacks like CRM suites, email, and social platforms.
By embedding automation into both operations and consumer engagement, CPG companies can optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver experiences that align with fast-changing consumer preferences.
Global-to-local agility is a new growth advantage
Agility has become a defining competitive advantage. Global brands can no longer rely on one-size-fits-all strategies, as consumer behavior, regulatory requirements, and cultural preferences vary widely across regions. To capture market share, enterprise CPG companies are building flexible infrastructure that allows them to localize products, packaging, and promotions in real time.
This agility shows up in:
- Localized packaging with QR Codes linking to regional recycling instructions or product details.
- Dynamic promotions tailored to specific markets and consumer needs.
- Adaptive messaging that reflects shifting consumer preferences and wellness priorities.
- Streamlined workflows for launching new products across multiple regions simultaneously.
Bitly’s connections management platform empowers global teams to move at this speed. By using branded links and QR Codes as adaptable connectors, CPG brands can update messaging, test campaigns, and regionalize experiences without recreating assets from scratch.
Power your next campaign with Bitly
The CPG industry is evolving faster than ever, driven by digital transformation, sustainability, omnichannel loyalty, and AI-driven workflows. To keep pace, enterprise brands need tools that deliver real-time insights, automate workflows, and connect global-to-local strategies.
Bitly helps CPG companies do just that. With branded short links, QR Codes, and a centralized link management platform, your teams can launch campaigns faster, track engagement with precision, and stay aligned across every region and retailer.
Ready to future-proof your marketing and packaging strategies? Sign in today to explore Bitly’s enterprise solutions and see how we can help your brand move smarter in 2025 and beyond.
