Bridging the Data Divide: How CPG Leaders Can Unlock Full-Funnel Intelligence and Drive Growth

Josh Coe Managing Partner

4 min read .

In today’s Consumer Goods landscape, leadership are under more pressure than ever to make fast, confident decisions. But when your data is scattered across sources it’s easy to feel as though you’re flying blind.

By bringing together information from all points in the distribution chain and ensuring it speaks the same language, CPG companies can unlock deeper insights, improve collaboration across teams, and make smarter, faster decisions that drive growth. Imagine trying to build a complete picture of your business with puzzle pieces from a dozen different sets. That’s the challenge facing CPG companies today, and it’s exactly what “Unlocking Full-Funnel Intelligence: Harmonising Consumer Goods Data from Sell-In to Sell-Out” sets out to solve.

The Challenge: Siloed Data, Fragmented Insights

Most consumer goods manufacturers rely on a network of wholesalers and retailers to get products into customers’ hands. While you have visibility over your direct sales to these partners (sell-in), insight drops off once your products leave your warehouse. Indirect sales between wholesalers and retailers (sell-through) and final sales to consumers (sell-out) are often only partially visible-if at all. To fill these gaps, many companies turn to data-sharing agreements or third-party aggregators, but this introduces new headaches: inconsistent naming conventions, mismatched granularity, and standards that vary by region or partner. The result is a patchwork of disconnected data that’s difficult to trust and even harder to use for decision-making.

The Solution: Unify Your Data Model

Unlocking the full value of your data means connecting your sell-in, sell-through, and sell-out datasets into a single, unified model. This requires aligning all your data-across markets, partners, and sources-using consistent standards for products, customers, and dates.

Here’s how you can get started:

1. Create Mapping Tables

Build mapping tables to translate between your internal data standards and those used by third parties. These can be developed manually, with automation, or using AI, depending on your resources and scale. Regular updates are essential as your data sources and business evolve.

2. Centralise Data Procurement

Where possible, source your third-party data from a single provider that uses global standards (like EAN/GTIN for products or ISO codes for countries). Centralising procurement minimises the number of unique standards you need to manage, reducing errors and saving time.

3. Design Flexible Data Hierarchies

Not all data will match perfectly in granularity-for instance, multi-pack SKUs versus single consumer units. Build master data hierarchies that allow you to map at different levels, so every team-from supply chain to marketing-gets the insights they need.

What You Can Do Now

You don’t need to overhaul everything at once. Start with these practical steps:

  • Audit your current data landscape: Identify your data sources, structures, and the biggest disconnects.
  • Standardise your internal data: Ensure consistent naming and formats for products, customers, and transactions.
  • Review third-party data contracts: Consolidate providers where possible and negotiate for standardised data formats.
  • Invest in mapping and hierarchy tools: Whether it’s a dedicated team, new software, or AI-powered solutions, prioritise tools that help bridge gaps between datasets.
  • Foster collaboration: Align analytics, supply chain, and commercial teams on key insights and how they’ll be used.

Why It Matters

Harmonising your data isn’t just a technical exercise, it is a strategic advantage. When you unify your sell-in, sell-through, and sell-out data, you create a single source of truth that everyone in your organisation can trust. This clarity empowers smarter, faster decision-making at every level, from supply chain to marketing to executive leadership. Streamlined data means you can spot trends early, benchmark performance against competitors, and understand what’s driving results in real time. It also breaks down silos, making your teams more collaborative and your operations more efficient. Ultimately, harmonised data gives you the confidence to act boldly, adapt quickly, and stay ahead in a highly competitive market.

Get in touch for access to the full paper, including recommended hierarchy design.