Supply chain management (SCM) is undergoing a profound transformation driven by digitalisation, geopolitical uncertainty, sustainability pressures, and evolving market volatility. By 2026, supply chains are no longer evaluated primarily on efficiency and cost minimisation but on their ability to sense, adapt, and recover from disruption. This article examines the major emerging trends shaping supply chain management in 2026, including agentic artificial intelligence, intelligent control towers, regionalisation strategies, ESG-driven traceability, automation, cybersecurity, and workforce transformation. The analysis highlights a fundamental shift from forecast-centric planning toward decision intelligence and resilience-oriented supply chain design in the emerging trends in supply chain management.
